Network-based multi-tier promotion thread generator shutdown sequence system, method and computer program product

ABSTRACT

A method of generating a fixed-price variable-offer multi-tier thread generator may include receiving, a by a computer processor(s), at least a fixed price, a thread expiration criteria and specification for at least two offerings for the fixed price. Each of the at least two offerings correspond to one of at least two tiers of offerings, where the fixed price entitles a first member and any subsequent members on a thread to redeem a qualified offer associated with a qualified tier, in exchange for paying the fixed price, upon the occurrence of at least one thread expiration criteria. The at least one product or service offerings the thread qualifies for, upon the occurrence of the at least one thread expiration criteria, may be dependent upon a total number of members, including the first member who starts a thread from the thread generator and any subsequent members who join the thread and who have agreed to pay the fixed price.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.13/572,696, filed Aug. 12, 2012 and is related to and claims the benefitunder 35 USC Section 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 61/523,081, filed Aug. 12, 2011 and is also related to and claimsthe benefit under 35 USC Section 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/673,252, filed Jul. 19, 2012, the contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to promotions and coupons, andmore particularly to electronic promotions.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Conventionally, various systems have existed for providing coupons andpromotions both in an offline environment and in an electronicenvironment.

A conventional coupon is a loss leading type of sale, promotion, ordiscount offer enticing customers to purchase a good, or service. Acoupon normally has an expiration date within which redemption orfulfillment is due. Coupons were originally distributed by mail and asadvertising promotions with newspaper and magazine print media.

More recently, coupons and other such promotions have become moretargeted using such technologies as demographic and psychographicanalysis of potential customers by marketers or promoters. Indeed alarge proportion of conventional postal delivery junk mail includestargeted promotions such as, e.g., but not limited to, discounts,product coupons, trial offers, credit card applications, politicalsolicitations, etc. With the development of intelligent point of sale(POS) systems from companies like NCR and IBM, highly targeted couponsbecame available at POS.

Online systems of advertising and promotion have matured from earlybanner ads, to ever more sophisticated ad serving systems, providingtailored, targeted advertising and promotions to interactive internetbrowser based user interfaces.

The growth of the global Internet has accelerated ad serving based onper click models among others. With the advent of ubiquitous mobilenetworks and social networks today reaching a critical mass ofconsumers, additional novel promotional offerings have been developeddirected at networked users.

Online communities began with bulletin board systems (BBSs) in the1980s. Social networks began to develop in the mid-1990s with increasingpopularity of the world wide web (WWW). Early social networks includedFriendster, followed by MySpace, LinkedIn, Yahoo! 360, XING, etc.Perhaps the most successful social network to date is Facebook, whosereach spans continents and generations. Social networks allow users,e.g., to create profile pages containing information about user membersare willing share about themselves with others, and allow the usermembers to create lists of contacts or friends, which may be grantedaccess to content links or posts of the given user member.

Marketers have strived to use the power of social media to promoteproducts. Daily deal sites provide customer users an opportunity toperuse, for example, a periodic communication message, with an offerthat includes various restrictions and an expiration date.

Groupon.com available from Groupon, Inc. of Chicago, Ill. USA, is asubscription service offering a daily deal communication to customerusers that may start at a deep percent discount. Groupon guarantees abusiness owner a minimum return. After the Groupon customer receives thedaily email with a deal offering thread, the customer may select topurchase the product, and then enters the customer's credit cardinformation. Thus the customer agrees to pay up front, and if the offeris closed, then revenue from the sale is split between Groupon and thebusiness owner providing the product or service. A Groupon deal has asingle countdown for how long the deal is available for purchase. Forexample, Groupon requires a minimum dollar amount of sales, or the dealis off. For example, until at least a vendor selectable amount of peoplesign up for the offer (e.g., 30) no one can redeem, but once the amountis reached, the deal is said to “tip,” and then the discount is “on.”Once tipped, the offer is automatically purchased using the customer'scredit card information, and a coupon voucher may be issued having aredemption or fulfillment date. For the customer to redeem a coupon, aredemption code may be printed, or a barcode may be displayed on, e.g.,a smartphone, allowing redemption or fulfillment similar to conventionalcoupons.

LivingSocial.com available from LivingSocial, Inc. of Washington, D.C.,USA provides another daily deal offering, which sends a discountedoffering email to customers in a given locality. Offerings of a vendor,for example, restaurants, spas, shops, travel, etc. are offered tocustomers by LivingSocial via, e.g., an email communication. Thecustomer can choose and buy an offering. The customer may subscribe toareas of interest. Then the LivingSocial customer can share his or herpurchase with friends of the customer's social network; for example, thecustomer can send an alert or notification to some or all of thecustomer's friends by, e.g., a Tweet to Twitter, a post to Facebook, orby sending a unique link to friends in an email. Using LivingSocial, ife.g., three people buy the customer's deal with the link provided by thecustomer, then the deal may be made free to that original customer.

Conventional couponing methods and systems have various shortcomings.What is needed is an improved system that overcomes the variousshortcomings of conventional solutions.

SUMMARY OF VARIOUS EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION

Various exemplary embodiments of a system, method and computer programproduct for providing network-based promotions is set forth in detailherein.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a computer implemented method,system, and/or computer program product executable on a computerprocessor to cause a method of creating a multi-tier promotion threadgenerator may include: a) receiving, by at least one computer processor,at least one specification for a multi-tiered promotion thread generatorcomprising at least one of: at least one promotion-level specificationcomprising at least one of: at least one promotion name; or at least onepromotion expiration; at least one thread-specific specificationcomprising at least one of: at least one requirement for a first buyerof the promotion to start a thread; or at least one thread lifespan forat least one countdown timer; or at least one tier-specificspecification comprising at least one of: at least one specification fora plurality of tiers comprising at least one of: at least one joiningrequirement for at least one subsequent customer; b) creating, by the atleast one computer processor, at least one promotion thread generator;and at least one associated thread generator identifier (generator ID)from said at least one specification; and c) publishing, by the at leastone computer processor, the promotion thread generator and associatedgeneratorID.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:d) receiving, by the at least one computer processor, at least onerequired input parameter from at least one customer interested in beingthe first buyer of a respective associated thread of the first buyer.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) validating, by the at least one computer processor, the first buyersaid at least one required input parameter of the first buyer.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:d) generating, by the at least one computer processor, at least one newthread each comprising at least one thread identifier and at least onethread-specific countdown timer associated with said at least one newthread according to said thread lifespan specification of said at leastone countdown timer specification.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where theat least one thread identifier may include at least one of: at least oneprimary key; at least one unique identifier; or at least one hyperlinkidentifier parameter.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) starting, by the at least one computer processor, said at least onethread-specific countdown timer.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) associating, by the at least one computer processor, the firstcustomer with the at least one new thread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) providing, by the at least one computer processor, the first customersaid at least one thread identifier.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method where the providingmay include at least one of: enabling, by the at least one computerprocessor, a later reference to said at least one new thread; enabling,by the at least one computer processor, sharing of said at least onethread identifier to at least one peer customer user; enabling, by theat least one computer processor, the at least one peer customer user toaccess said at least one new thread; enabling, by the at least onecomputer processor, the at least one peer customer user to join said atleast one new thread; or enabling, by the at least one computerprocessor, the at least one peer customer user to later reference saidat least one new thread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:d) joining, by the at least one computer processor, to said at least onenew thread at least one subsequent customer wishing to join said atleast one new thread, may include: receiving, by the at least onecomputer processor, input from the at least one subsequent customer;validating, by the at least one computer processor, said input from theat least one subsequent customer, joining, by the at least one computerprocessor, to said thread the at least one subsequent customer when saidvalidating is successful, and adjusting, by the at least one computerprocessor, said thread property based on at least one mutually-exclusivetier reached.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) closing, by the at least one computer processor, said at least onethread upon expiration of said at least one thread-specific countdowntimer.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:e) generating, coordinating, and closing when validated, by the at leastone computer processor, a plurality of threads based on said promotionspecifications.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:d) closing, by the at least one computer processor, said promotion uponexpiration of said promotion-specific expiration date.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of generating at leastone multi-tier promotion thread using at least one multi-tier promotionthread generator may include: a) generating, by at least one computerprocessor, upon initiation by a first customer user, at least one newmulti-tier promotion thread, wherein each said at least one newmulti-tier promotion thread comprises at least one thread identifier;and at least one thread-specific countdown timer associated with said atleast one new multi-tier promotion thread, wherein said at least onethread-specific countdown timer comprises at least one thread lifespan.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:b) enabling, by the at least one computer processor, sharing of said atleast one new multi-tier promotion thread with at least one subsequentlyjoining customer user.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:c) receiving, by the at least one computer processor, an indication ofjoining from the at least one subsequently joining customer user untilexpiration of said thread-specific countdown timer at end of said threadlifespan.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include:d) providing, by the at least one computer processor, at least onepromotion voucher to each of the at least one subsequently joiningcustomer users.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a method may include: a)providing, by the at least one computer processor, a first customer atleast one multi-tier promotion thread identifier, wherein said providingcomprises at least one of: enabling, by the at least one computerprocessor, a later reference to said at least one new thread; enabling,by the at least one computer processor, sharing of said at least onethread identifier to at least one peer customer user; enabling, by theat least one computer processor, the at least one peer customer user toaccess said at least one new thread; enabling, by the at least onecomputer processor, the at least one peer customer user to join said atleast one new thread; or enabling, by the at least one computerprocessor, the at least one peer customer user to later reference saidat least one new thread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a computer implemented method ofgenerating a multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread generator(multi-tier thread generator) may include: creating, by at least onecomputer processor, the thread generator, which may include: receiving,by the at least one computer processor, terms of the at least onemulti-tier dynamic value promotion thread generator adapted to generateat least one multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread (multi-tierthread), wherein the terms may specify (e.g., but not limited to): atleast one tier-specific benefit term, and at least one tier-specificrequirement term for each of at least two tier levels of the threadgenerator; and at least one thread-specific countdown timer, whereinafter generation of a generated thread by a first customer user, a valueof the tier-specific benefit term of the generated multi-tier thread maybe determined by comparing: a number of joined customer users uponexpiration of the countdown timer, to the tier-specific requirementterms, to identify the tier of the at least two tier levelscorresponding to the number of joined customer users.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may further includetransmitting, by the at least one computer processor, a link to thedynamic value multi-tier promotion thread to the first user uponcreating the generated thread by the thread generator, for sharing bythe first user to at least one other customer user.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where uponreceiving notification of the first customer joining the promotionoffering thread, initiating, by the at least one computer processor, thelimited time countdown timer until expiration; and counting, by the atleast one computer processor, a number of joined customer users joiningthe generated multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where uponreceiving notification of a customer using the multi-tier threadgenerator to be the founding customer of one thread wherein the customeris by default the first customer on the multi-tier thread, having had tosatisfy the terms of the first tier, initiating, by the at least onecomputer processor, the limited time countdown timer until expiration;and counting, by the at least one computer processor, a number of joinedcustomer users joining the generated multi-tier dynamic value promotionthread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where saidplurality of said tiers may include mutually exclusive requirementterms. In one exemplary embodiment, these mutually exclusive requirementterms may enable clear determination as to which tier of value aparticular thread has reached. In one exemplary embodiment, mutuallyexclusive requirement terms can be decided in the form ofnon-overlapping ranges of customers required to be at any particulartier.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where anycustomer users joining the thread may include: receiving, by the atleast one computer processor, an identifier for the any customer users;and associating, by the at least one computer processor, the identifierfor the any customer users with the generated thread.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where theidentifier for the any customer users may include at least one of: afinancial agreement to purchase the multi-tier dynamic value promotionmulti-tier thread to satisfy the requirements of the tier the thread hasreached at the time of a customer joining the multi-tier thread; acustomer number of the any customer user; a credit card number of theany customer user; a debit card number of the any customer user; asocial security number of the any customer user; an email address of theany customer user; or a user name of the any customer user.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where uponthe expiration of the countdown timer, the thread benefit is set basedon the tier of the at least two tiers corresponding to the amount ofjoined customer users. In one exemplary embodiment, upon expiration ofthe countdown timer, the thread may be locked at the highest achievedtier that the thread was able to achieve and e.g., all users who havejoined the thread, perhaps at different tiers, may be distributed theagreed benefit of the achieved tier and may be held to the requirementsas specified by the final tier. In one exemplary embodiment, therequirements are an agreed monetary price that customers may be chargedand the benefit may be an agreed promotion with terms as specified bythe thread generator.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the method may include where theat least two tiers may include at least three tiers.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a system of providing a dynamicvalue promotion thread generator may include, a computer memory; atleast one computer processor coupled to said memory, wherein said atleast one computer processor is adapted: to create the thread generatorcomprising wherein said at least one computer processor is adapted to:receive terms of the at least one multi-tier dynamic value promotionthread generator adapted to generate at least one thread, wherein saidterms comprise: at least one tier-specific benefit term, and at leastone tier-specific requirement term for each of at least two tier levelsof the thread generator; and specifications to at least onethread-specific countdown timer, wherein upon generation of a generatedthread by a thread-initiating customer user (the founding customer ofone of possibly several threads generated by the thread generator), athread-specific countdown timer may be started and may upon expiry ofsaid thread-specific countdown timer, the final achieved said tier ofsaid generated thread may be determined by comparing: a number of joinedcustomer users upon expiration of said countdown timer, to saidtier-specific requirement terms, to identify the tier of said at leasttwo tier levels corresponding to said number of joined customer users.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a computer program productembodied on a computer readable medium, said computer program productcomprising program logic adapted to be executed on a computer processorto implement a method of providing a multi-tier dynamic value promotionthread generator may include: creating, by at least one computerprocessor, the multi-tier thread generator may include, e.g., but notlimited to: receiving, by the at least one computer processor, terms ofthe at least one multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread generatoradapted to generate at least one thread, wherein said terms comprise: atleast one tier-specific benefit term, and at least one tier-specificrequirement term for each of at least two tier levels of the threadgenerator; and at least one thread-specific countdown timer, whereinupon generation of a generated thread by a first customer user, a valueof said tier-specific benefit term of said generated thread may bedetermined by comparing: a number of joined customer users uponexpiration of said countdown timer, to said tier-specific requirementterms, to identify the tier of said at least two tier levelscorresponding to said number of joined customer users.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a computer implemented method ofproviding a multi-tiered, dynamically changing value, promotion threadgenerator may include: creating, by at least one computer processor, athread generator for dynamic-value promotion (e.g., coupon) thread. Thecreation process may include: receiving parameters of the promotionthread (e.g., a thread generator's title), by the at least one computerprocessor, receiving terms for at least two (e.g., mutually exclusive)tier pricing levels, where the achieved tier level of any particularthread generated by the thread generator may be based upon a number ofusers who have joined the thread, and the tier is determined at the endof a limited time countdown timer, where the parameters may include,e.g., but not limited to, thread parameters, thread specific parameters,and tier-specific parameters. According to an exemplary embodiment, acomputer implemented mechanism may be provided to allow a customer touse the thread generator to generate a thread. According to anotherexemplary embodiment, upon the first user generating the thread, theuser may receive a link to the thread that the user has originated, andmay circulate that thread to any customer users who may wish to considerjoining the thread.

According to an exemplary embodiment, promoters or vendors may faceseveral challenges in achieving an end goal of encouraging usage of aproduct and/or service that the promoter or vendor are promoting.According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more exemplaryapparatus(es), device(s), method(s), and/or business method(s) are setforth, which may be used by a marketer user such as, e.g., but notlimited to, a ‘promoter,’ and/or a ‘vendor’, etc., to create anexemplary dynamic value social promotion (DVSP) as illustrated in, anddiscussed further below with reference to, e.g., FIGS. 1-10. Accordingto an exemplary embodiment, the method may include receiving from themarketer and associating with an offer thread, any of a plurality ofrestrictions, such as, e.g., but not limited to, a limited number ofcustomer individuals that may redeem the DVSP as a first buyer (FB),creating a so-called “thread” for a particular buyer's redemption of thedeal. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method may include adynamic creation of an exemplary countdown timer that can be variablyset by the marketer for that thread's finalization, wherein no morecustomers or buyers of the initial customer or buyer (defined herein as“friends”) may redeem the DVSP from that thread. One exemplaryembodiment may include exemplary restrictions (not shown) such as, e.g.,but not limited to, a maximum number of individuals who can redeem theDVSP from a particular thread, a random creation of an exemplarymulti-tiered-value-structure to simulate an experience of a “lottery” or“raffle” effect wherein at higher tiers, offers could, for example, butnot limited to, get variably more valuable. One exemplary embodiment ofthe invention may include an exemplary association of an exemplary pointsystem to the first buyer based on exemplary performance metrics, suchas, e.g., but not limited to, revenue generated from a DVSP or thenumber of individuals who have passed the DVSP to others. One exemplaryembodiment of the invention may include where the computerprocessor-implemented method may include receiving an association of anindividual's joining a thread, where the individual may indicate to thesystem which individual may be currently “in the action” (also know as,are joining the DVSP). According to an exemplary embodiment, the methodmay include tracking, or allowing the individual user to be given pointsor another indicia based on the individual user being credited withgenerating a sale closed by another individual who has joined a thread.According to an exemplary embodiment, a combination of two or moreoffers of an exemplary discount may be provided at an exemplary pair ofexemplary separate exemplary tier level(s) and/or milestones.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include receiving anyauthorization of an individual's payment method (such as, e.g., but notlimited to, a credit card) for a monetary amount (i.e. price) of thecurrent tier a multi-tier thread is at (the presently achieved tier ofthe thread), followed by the charging of the variable amount asspecified by the requirements of the final achieved tier the threadreached upon expiration of the dynamic countdown generated by the firstbuyer (creator) of the thread.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include marketing ofspecific DVSPs to individuals within a structured database of user-usersocial connections and optionally user interests. This ability to enabletargeting of the DVSP based on characteristics of a user may enable anonobvious possibility for a marketer to generate new customers from anexemplary later-adopter category of a given total addressable market whomay be probabilistically more interested in a DVSP after a first-buyer,which the subsequent buyer(s) may consider a peer, and possibly one orseveral others, may have indicated the subsequent interest and may havedepressed the price of joining that particular thread lower. Oneembodiment of the invention may include the DVSP vendor service, whichmay provide the marketer, or promoter, or vendor, the ability to pay forvarying levels of detail regarding the dynamics of their promotion, suchas views, customer actions such as sales, referrals, etc.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an exemplarydynamic modification of a given DVSP thread countdown, based on eventstaken against the thread. For example, the marketer (creator of thepromotion) may set up an exemplary promotion to add an exemplaryspecific amount of time to the countdown upon determination of a newindividual's joining the thread, possibly at varying points along theexemplary thread.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an exemplaryability for one or more individual(s) of a certain health group, suchas, e.g., but not limited to, smokers, etc., to join such a network andmay then, based on their having reached certain health goals, jointhreads and redeem DVSPs. According to an exemplary embodiment, themethod of facilitating a group's participation may create a nonobviouseffect of the group's membership commiserating regarding their struggletogether in a network to having reached a health goal and thereby beingrewarded.

In one exemplary embodiment, a particular class of thread generator(shutdown sequence) may be set by a promoter to enable a variation of a“fixed price, variable offer” and/or “fixed offer, variable price”thread class wherein the offer (or offers if there are multiple offertiers) are a percentage off discount with other possible termsassociated such as, e.g., but not limited to, a maximum dollars (i.e.,value) the coupon voucher may used for, expiration date, etc. Accordingto an exemplary embodiment, the exemplary thread generator can enable,for example, but not limited to, “pre-selling of coupons” to users.

Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as thestructure and operation of various exemplary embodiments of theinvention, are described in detail below with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following, more particular description of anembodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical,functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The leftmost digits in the corresponding reference number indicate the drawingin which an element first appears.

FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary view of an exemplary embodiment of anexemplary heterogeneous client device environment coupled to anexemplary network system adapted to provide a network-based promotionssystem architecture environment using a plurality of computing andcommunication devices coupled together in a distributed networked systemarchitecture, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 1B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a network-based promotionsystem, system architecture high level diagram, according to anexemplary embodiment coupled together by an exemplary cloud-basedarchitecture network, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 1C depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary systemillustrating an exemplary distributed network environment;

FIG. 1D depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary systemillustrating an exemplary network environment;

FIG. 1E depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary screenshot of anexemplary user interface (UI) illustrating an exemplary applicationprogram for creating an exemplary thread generator according to oneexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 1F depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary screenshot of anexemplary user interface (UI) illustrating an exemplary applicationprogram of an exemplary dynamic-value coupon thread generator used tocreate a thread, including a mechanism by which a first customer maycreate a thread;

FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting an exemplary fixed offer,variable price offering dynamic-value coupon thread portal, according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting an exemplary fixed price,variable offering dynamic-value coupon thread portal, according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot for another embodiment of anexemplary user interface application program as the method describedwith reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamic value socialpromotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplary fixed offer,variable price thread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting another exemplaryembodiment of an exemplary user interface application program as themethod described with reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamicvalue social promotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplary fixedprice, variable offer thread generator, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 3C depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting another exemplaryembodiment of an exemplary user interface application program as themethod described with reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamicvalue social promotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplary nocommitment, just pass the deal and make it bigger exemplary promotionthread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary flow diagram, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of creating a threadgenerator by a promoter, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4B depicts an exemplary flow diagram, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of generating a threadusing the thread generator of FIG. 4A, for a first customer user, andfor initializing and executing the generated thread, according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4C depicts an exemplary flow diagram, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of requesting a generatedthread for a first customer user, and receiving and sharing threadindicia with other users to join the thread, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplarycomputer/communications device hardware architecture as may be used invarious components of exemplary embodiments of the present invention,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6A depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 600illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary interface for creating a fixed offer, variable price dynamicvalue multi-tiered coupon thread generator according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 6B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 620 illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting an exemplary interface forcreating a fixed price, variable dynamic value multi-tiered couponthread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6C depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 630illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary interface for creating an exemplary interface for creating ano commitment, just pass the deal and make it bigger exemplary promotiondynamic value coupon multi-tiered thread generator, according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7A depicts a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an exemplaryenvironment illustrating an exemplary user interface mockup of anexemplary dynamic value coupon/promotion thread portal applicationexecuting on a user client device, depicting an exemplary fixed offer,variable price offering, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting an user interface mockupof an exemplary dynamic value coupon/promotion thread portal exemplaryfixed price, variable offering thread portal, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 8A1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary interface definition for an exemplary thread generator as willbe apparent to those having ordinary skill in the relevant art,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8A2 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram, similar toFIG. 8A1, illustrating an exemplary interface definition for anexemplary thread generator as will be apparent to those having ordinaryskill in the relevant art, according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG.8B1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary interface definition for an exemplary multi-tier offeringthread of n-tiers, as will be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8B2 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram, similar toFIG. 8B1, illustrating an exemplary interface definition for anexemplary multi-tier offering thread of n-tiers, as will be apparent tothose skilled in the relevant art, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8C depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary illustrating a more detailed definition for acronyms used inFIGS. 8A and 8B, as well as a simple flow diagram illustrating anexemplary embodiment of a person with health issues, or habits, wherethe patient joins a social network group, completes a user profile, andmay link with others in a similar position of health (smoker, cancersufferer, etc.), according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustrating anexemplary process of creating a promotion as illustrated in anotherexemplary embodiment of a prompting list of user instructions to bedisplayed by the computing device, according to an exemplary embodiment,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram illustratinginterface definition for an exemplary multi-tier offering thread ofn-tiers, as will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art; and

FIG. 11 depicts a diagram 1300 illustrating an exemplary voice over adata network hardware architecture as may illustrate an exemplaryembodiment of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hybridcommunications network including both VoIP devices, as well as PSTNdevices, coupled together via an exemplary voice over IP network as mayinclude, e.g., but not limited to, gateways, routers, signaling devices,SIP and/or MGCP protocol devices, soft switches, etc., as will beapparent to those skilled in the relevant art, as may be used as anexemplary embodiment of a network architecture platform over which aservice provider according to an exemplary embodiment may distribute itsservices offerings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed in detailbelow. While specific exemplary embodiments are discussed, it should beunderstood that this is done for illustration purposes only. Exemplarymeans example for purposes of this application, and various embodimentsneed not include all features as described herein. A person skilled inthe relevant art will recognize that other components and configurationscan be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Overview of Exemplary Embodiments

According to an exemplary embodiment, promoters or vendors may faceseveral challenges in achieving an end goal of encouraging usage of aproduct and/or service that the promoter or vendor are promoting.According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more exemplaryapparatus(es), device(s), method(s), and/or business method(s) are setforth, which may be used by a marketer user such as, e.g., but notlimited to, a′promoter; and/or a ‘vendor’, pioneer of a deal, etc., tocreate an exemplary dynamic value social promotion (DVSP) as illustratedin, and discussed further below with reference to, e.g., FIGS. 1-10.According to an exemplary embodiment, the method may include receivingfrom the marketer and associating with an offer thread, any of aplurality of restrictions, such as, e.g., but not limited to, a limitednumber of customer individuals that may redeem the DVSP as a first buyer(FB), creating a so-called “thread” for a particular buyer's redemptionof the deal. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method mayinclude a dynamic creation of an exemplary countdown timer that can bevariably set by the marketer for that thread's finalization, wherein nomore customers or buyers of the initial customer or buyer (definedherein as “friends”) may redeem the DVSP from that thread. One exemplaryembodiment may include exemplary restrictions (not shown) such as, e.g.,but not limited to, a maximum number of individuals who can redeem theDVSP from a particular thread, a random creation of an exemplarymulti-tiered-value-structure to simulate an experience of a “lottery” or“raffle” effect wherein at higher tiers, offers could, for example, butnot limited to, get variably more valuable. One exemplary embodiment ofthe invention may include an exemplary association of an exemplary pointsystem to the first buyer based on exemplary performance metrics, suchas, e.g., but not limited to, revenue generated from a DVSP or thenumber of individuals who have passed the DVSP to others. One exemplaryembodiment of the invention may include where the computerprocessor-implemented method may include receiving an association of anindividual's joining a thread, where the individual may indicate to thesystem which individual may be currently “in the action” (also know as,are joining the DVSP). According to an exemplary embodiment, the methodmay include tracking, or allowing the individual user to be given pointsor another indicia based on the individual user being credited withgenerating a sale closed by another individual who has joined a thread.According to an exemplary embodiment, a combination of two or moreoffers of an exemplary discount may be provided at an exemplary pair ofexemplary separate exemplary tier level(s) and/or milestones.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include receiving anyauthorization of an individual's payment method (such as, e.g., but notlimited to, a credit card) for a monetary amount (i.e. price) of thecurrent tier a multi-tier thread is at, followed by the charging of thevariable amount (tier) the thread may reach upon expiration of thedynamic countdown generated by the first buyer (creator) of the thread.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include marketing ofspecific DVSPs to individuals within a structured database of user-usersocial connections and optionally user interests. This ability to enabletargeting of the DVSP based on characteristics of a user may enable anonobvious possibility for a marketer to generate new customers from anexemplary later-adopter category of a given total addressable market whomay be probabilistically more interested in a DVSP after a first-buyer,which the subsequent buyer(s) may consider a peer, and possibly one orseveral others, may have indicated the subsequent interest and may havedepressed the price of entry into the thread lower, and/or increased thevalue of joining the thread based on a higher level value tier that thethread dynamically reached as specified by thread generator terms, etc.One embodiment of the invention may include the DVSP vendor service,which may provide the marketer, or promoter, or vendor, the ability topay for varying levels of detail regarding the dynamics of theirpromotion.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an exemplarydynamic modification of a given DVSP thread countdown, based on eventstaken against the thread. For example, the marketer (creator of thepromotion) may set up an exemplary promotion to add an exemplaryspecific amount of time to the countdown upon determination of a newindividual's joining the thread, possibly at varying points along theexemplary thread.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention may include an exemplaryability for one or more individual(s) of a certain health group, suchas, e.g., but not limited to, smokers, etc., to join such a network andmay then, based on their having reached certain health goals, jointhreads and redeem DVSPs. According to an exemplary embodiment, themethod of facilitating a group's participation may create a nonobviouseffect of the group's membership commiserating regarding their struggletogether in a network to having reached a health goal and thereby beingrewarded.

FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary view of an exemplary embodiment of anexemplary heterogeneous client device environment coupled to anexemplary network system adapted to provide a network-based promotionssystem architecture environment using a plurality of computing andcommunication devices coupled together in a distributed networked systemarchitecture 100, according to an exemplary embodiment.

An exemplary computer system platform executing an exemplary softwareapplication program, which may reside, in an exemplary embodiment, on auser's client computing device 102, and/or on a server in interactivecommunication with the user's client computing device in aclient/server, hierarchical, terminal server, or peer-to-peer fashion,may include, but is not limited to, a computing or communicationsdevice, desktop/laptop computers, tablet computers, personal digitalassistant, telephony, smart-phone, mobile device, mobile phone, wirelessdevice, tablet, personal digital assistant, handheld and the like, whichmay in an exemplary embodiment, be the device capable of providing userdisplay or other output and receiving input from user interactiveselections via any of various well known input devices, for creation ofpromotions by marketers of vendors, and receipt of promotional threadofferings and receipt of financial transaction authorization andtransmission of final coupon for output or access upon expiration of acountdown, or for delivery of an electronic coupon through various waysvia the user's computing device. According to an exemplary embodiment,various versions of the exemplary software program, which may be anapplet, a standalone application program, a browser based userinterface, a Java applet, among various other embodiments as will beapparent to those skilled in the art, and as discussed further belowwith reference to FIGS. 1A-13, according to exemplary embodiments. In anexemplary embodiment, the screen shots may be browser based interactiveinterfaces, or an application or applet, such as a toolbar, or browserbased toolbar. In another exemplary embodiment, the toolbar may be anapplet, or other application program that may be provided in any ofvarious well known ways, such as, e.g., but not limited to, an Internetbrowser-based toolbar, a JAVA applet, an ANDROID application, a Windows7 or Windows 8, etc. application program, an iPOD, iPhone, or iPADapplication, a MAC OS/X application, an iOS application, or the like,etc.

FIG. 1B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a network-based promotionsystem, system architecture high level diagram 120, according to anexemplary embodiment coupled together by an exemplary cloud-basedarchitecture network, according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to an exemplary embodiment an exemplary cloud/network systemand software, or a remote client server topology, a world wide web based(WWW) internet browser based application, or the like application may beprovided. Users as shown in diagram 120 may access applications, in anexemplary embodiment via a network illustrated by the cloud, which mayinclude, for example web servers such as, e.g., but not limited to,domain name servers (DNS) servers capable of domain name resolution, andhyper text markup language (HTML), JAVA applications, and/or extensiblemarkup language (XML) implemented interactive applications, as a serviceoffering may be implemented, and may allow, e.g., but not limited to,interactive client to remote server device interaction in well knownmatters via various wellknown network protocols such as the internetprotocol (IP) and the transmission control protocol (TCP), as well asany well known network stack implementing the various communicationslayers of the OSI model for standard communication between two or morecomputing devices. According to an exemplary embodiment, many exemplarycommercial cloud service providers may be used to host an application,if not a separate server one may use a cloud based offering such as,e.g., but not limited to, Amazon, Rackspace, Microsoft and/or manyothers as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, offering suchcapabilities, or alternatively application service providers (ASPs),software as a service (SAAS) providers, etc.

FIG. 1C depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary system 130illustrating an exemplary distributed network environment, according toan exemplary embodiment. Diagram 130 of FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplarysocial network user devices 102 a, 102 b (collectively referred to as102, e.g., a personal computer (PC), or smartphone, among other devicesas illustrated in FIG. 1A above, etc.) by which a user may access anetwork 104 to gain access to other network resources, according to anexemplary embodiment. According to an exemplary embodiment, the userdevice 102 may communicate via network 104 to other user devices 102 viaany of various communications applications such as, e.g., but notlimited to, electronic mail systems, or a social network 110 asillustrated including social network service provider device 112 alsocoupled to network 104, according to an exemplary embodiment. Accordingto various embodiments, the user devices 102 may also access anexemplary promotions service provider 106, which as illustrated mayinclude service provider user device 108 b as may be used to handle,e.g., tracking of countdowns, counters of numbers of customers agreeingto a pay for a promotion, or for processing financial transactions to,e.g., but not limited to, a bank and/or credit card service, etc. Asshown, the user devices 102 may access the exemplary promotions serviceprovider 106, via, e.g., but not limited to, a browser-based interneapplication, illustrated via web server 108 a, which may perform suchfunctions as providing load balancing and/or security, and/or a firewallfor the service provider 106, as well as may then serve access to one ormore application servers, such as, e.g., but not limited to, may includea database management system such as, e.g., but not limited to, arelational database, or other application software system, according toan exemplary embodiment. Further, as illustrated, other devices of userssuch as, e.g., but not limited to, marketer devices, or other vendordevices 116 a, 116 b (collectively 116), may be used by a marketer useras illustrated in creating or entering promotions for vendors of variousgoods and/or services as may be marketed using the system as disclosed,or understood by those skilled in the art, according to variousembodiments of the invention. For example, a marketer or vendor device116 may be used to create a promotion for Ford, or Nordstrom's, or anyof various other goods and/or services vendors 114 interested inpromoting their products and services, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 1D depicts an exemplary embodiment of diagram 140 of an exemplarysystem illustrating an exemplary network environment. FIG. 1Dillustrates an exemplary overview of an exemplary system as may be usedin an exemplary environment according to various exemplary embodimentsof the present invention. FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of ahigh level system block diagram 140 that can be used to provide anexemplary system for providing a non-quantitative information search andresponse engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

The high level system block diagram 140 of FIG. 1D may include, in anexemplary embodiment, users interacting with browsers on client devices102 a, or 102 b (collectively 102), respectively. Browsers can be, e.g.,but not limited to, application software programs executing on computerworkstations or other computer processor based devices 102 (includingmobile devices such as, e.g., but not limited to, communication devices,phones, smartphones, tablets, and/or computer tablets), which may becoupled via a network 104 (in wireline and/or wireless fashion) to otherdevices, as shown, in an exemplary embodiment. Workstations 102 can becoupled via a network 104 such as, e.g., but not limited to, aninternet, and intranet, or another type of network. In an exemplaryembodiment network 104 may include the global Internet. Network 104 mayprovide access for client devices 102 to gain access to, e.g., but notlimited to, one or more application servers 110 a, 110 b (collectively110), such as, e.g., but not limited to, a database management system(DBMS). Although a client server topology is discussed any of variousother well-known types of communications topologies may also be usedsuch as, e.g., but not limited to, point-to-point, peer-to-peer,cloud-based, software as a service (SAAS), browser-based, hierarchical,distributed, and/or centralized, etc. The application server 110 canmanage one or more databases (collectively 112). In an exemplaryembodiment, the application server 120 can access an exemplarydatabase(s) 114 having a plurality of data records, where in anexemplary embodiment, each data record may have one or more fields, etc.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that each database 112,114 can be part of a larger database, or could be broken into aplurality of separate subdatabases. In an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, search results can include a plurality of recordsobtained from the database 112, 114 that meet search criteria includedin a search query. Network 104 may be coupled to any of various wellknown components such as, e.g., but not limited to, one or more loadbalancing devices or firewall devices 106 a, 106 b (collectively 106),web server(s) 108, application server(s) 110, routers, gateways,physical layer devices, data link layer devices, and/or network layerdevices, etc.

As illustrated, web servers 108 and application servers 110 may becoupled to one another via one or more network(s) 104. Although network104 is shown, in an exemplary embodiment, as being downstream of loadbalancing devices 106, it is also possible to have a network upstream ofload balancing devices 104, coupling, e.g., but not limited to,application server(s) 110, web server(s) 108, and/or database(s) 112,114, as well as other client or other server devices (not shown), localand/or remote from the depicted exemplary devices, etc. Exemplary clientdevices 102 are depicted downstream over an exemplary network(s) 104from the server devices, but could easily be elsewhere in the networktopology, e.g., inside, or outside a firewall. It is also important tonote that network 104 is represented in cloud metaphor schematic, butvarious well known network devices including various well-knownstar-based, bus-based, or other well known network topologies may alsobe represented by exemplary network(s) 104.

A user interacting with a browser on workstation 102 a can access thedatabase 114 a, in an exemplary embodiment by traversing severalintervening networks using well known communications protocols such as,e.g., but not limited to, transmission control protocol/internetprotocol (TCP/IP). Specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, theworkstation 102 a can be coupled via exemplary network(s) 104 including,e.g., but not limited to, a public and/or private network, and/or theglobal Internet to any of various exemplary website system(s), in thisexemplary case, web server(s) 108 a, 108 b (collectively 108), which mayinclude any of various hosting systems such as, e.g., but not limitedto, a domain system, a domain name server (DNS), a domain controllersystem, etc. Website or webserver system 108 in an exemplary embodimentcan be, e.g., but not limited to, the Pass the Deal Service Providerwebsite available from Recovery Science LLC of MD USA. The websitesystem 110 can include, in an exemplary embodiment, an exemplaryfirewall 106 coupled to, or in addition to, or integrated with, a loadbalancer 106 a, 106 b (which could alternatively run on a generalpurpose computer such as, e.g., web server 108 a, 108 b, etc. Loadbalancer 106 can be coupled to an exemplary web server 108 a, and 108 b.Web servers 108 a, 108 b can be mesh coupled to one or more applicationservers 110 a, 110 b, via hardware and/or software system solutions,according to an exemplary embodiment, or via another network 104 (notshown). Each server 108, 110, may include, e.g., but not limited to, orbe coupled to, one or more database(s) 112, 114. Web server(s) 108 a,108 b in an exemplary embodiment, can perform load balancing functionsby transferring user application requests/queries to one or more of theapplication servers 110 a, 110 b. Results of the exemplary requestsand/or queries from database 114 can be transferred from applicationservers 110 a, 110 b through web servers 108 a, 108 b through thenetwork 104 to workstation 104.

FIG. 1E depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary screenshot 160of an exemplary user interface (UI) illustrating an embodiment of anapplication program for creating a novel and non-obvious multi-tierpromotion thread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment.According to an exemplary embodiment, a promoter may use the applicationprogram 160 of FIG. 1E, executed on a computer processor(s), to createan exemplary thread generator as illustrated. In an exemplaryembodiment, the application program 160 may include various exemplaryfields, many of which may be optional in some embodiments, which may bepopulated to create an exemplary thread generator. The promoter mayselect to create a thread generator for a “Version C: No commitment!Just pass the deal and make it BIGGER” thread generator 162. In creatingthe thread generator 160, the computer processor may prompt the promoterto interactively enter various parameters and/or requirements and/orterms and conditions in creating the thread generator.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the computer processor may beprompt 164 the promoter to enter a title 166 for the thread generator,as shown, which may be received by the computer processor and may storeand/or transfer the input to a service provider server.

The computer processor may also prompt 168 the promoter to identifyusing, e.g., but not limited to, an exemplary radio button interfaceelement, as shown, whether an unlimited, and/or a limited supply ofthreads, etc., will be available, and if a limited amount, a maximumnumber, e.g., in an exemplary embodiment, will be included in a giventhread generator being created. Other limits may be user selectable, aswill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The computer processor may also prompt 172 the promoter to interactivelyidentify using an exemplary radio button interface element 174, a lengthof time a thread countdown may be held open until expiring. According toan exemplary embodiment, the countdown 172 may be provided at any of apromoter user selectable optional three exemplary countdown time(s) (atleast one time), including, e.g., but not limited to, 24 hours, 36hours, and/or 48 hours, etc. While of course the countdown timer may beof any appropriate length of time, the time options may be optimized,e.g., to provide sufficient time to allow a first customer to notify,recruit, and encourage recruiting customers (e.g., friends or contacts)to join a thread, and to create urgency, while not being overly lengthyso as to potentially create excessive demand (as estimated by thepromoter), or encourage procrastination on the part of those customersconsidering joining, once threads are generated. The computer processormay interactively receive the promoter's selections from fields 166,170, 174, etc., and may create further prompts based on certain entries,such as, e.g., but not limited to, if another tier is added usinginterface element 182, etc. The processor may receive a response fromthe promoter, and may store the responses in, e.g., a database, locallyand/or remotely, and/or may transfer interactive responses to theapplication program interface's prompts to another application orstorage, according to exemplary embodiments.

The UI application program may also, as illustrated in an exemplaryembodiment, allow uploading of a picture, image, or video, or othercontent, etc., which may be transferred by prompting 186 the user tobrowse and point to the filename and path of the content to be uploaded,and then the file may be uploaded and associated with the threadgenerator and offer.

The exemplary thread generator, as depicted in FIG. 1E may furtherinclude, e.g, but not limited to, prompts 176, 178, and 180, which asshown in an exemplary embodiment, may be adapted to create threadsincluding exemplary two or more tiered levels (tiers) 176, 178, and 180per thread, according to an exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, apromoter may use the exemplary application to allow a computer processorto create a thread generator adapted to generate threads having at leasttwo tiers in each thread, or more tiers. According to an exemplaryembodiment, a promoter may use the exemplary application to allow acomputer processor to create a thread generator adapted to generatethreads having more than two tiers 176, 178, 179 each, by, e.g., but notlimited to, including an add a tier interface element 182, a finitenumber, or up to an architected maximum, etc.

According to one exemplary embodiment, each discount, or thread term mayinclude tier specific benefits, terms, parameters, requirements,numerical values, quantitative and/or qualitative values, and/orrequirements for a thread to reach a given tier (an achieved tier).According to an exemplary embodiment, each specific tier of theplurality of tiers, may have tier-specific requirements, which may bemutually exclusive of one another. For example, tier-specificrequirements may include a quantitative value for clarity purposes, suchas, e.g., but not limited to, a minimum number of joined customers, or arange of joined customers. Certain tiers may have more terms than othertiers, such as, e.g., but not limited to, a default tier such as tier176, may not require, in one embodiment, input of a minimum number ofjoined customers, since that level may include a minimum of one customerinherently. In one embodiment, each tier as noted, may be mutuallyexclusive of other tiers, requirements may be such that only one tier isapplied upon expiration of a thread countdown. In another embodiment(not shown), tier levels may not be mutually exclusive, but rather mayoverlap, e.g., tier 1 may be a minimum benefit, tier 2 may be anincremental additional benefit, etc., and at expiration, based onrequirements met, may issue a total benefit.

According to one exemplary embodiment, an example benefit prompt mayinclude a discount prompt “Discount:” to prompt the promoter to enter,and for the processor to receive, store, and/or process, any tierspecific discount and/or other tier-specific parameters.

The exemplary embodiment illustrates an exemplary at least three tierthread generator 160. According to an exemplary embodiment, theexemplary benefit for a given tier of the thread may include anexemplary discount, e.g., a percentage discount, e.g., but not limitedto, 5%, 10%, and/or 20%, as shown in an exemplary embodiment.

Other exemplary optional benefits may include, e.g., but not limited to,cash back, additional offerings, increased value, increased redemptiontime, etc. Benefits may be quantitative, and/or even qualitative, butmay generally increase in customer perceived value (e.g., increaseddiscount, increased benefit, etc.) with each tier to drive customerinterest in joining a thread.

As shown in an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary variable validityduration term for the ultimate coupon/promotional voucher, may be anexemplary tier-specific term, as shown (e.g., but not limited to, 30 dayvalidity, 60 day validity, 90 day validity, etc.). Other, or alternativeterms may be included, or not included, according to various exemplaryembodiments of example creators of example thread generators.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an example validity time promptmay be used to prompt by the processor the promoter to enter, and forthe processor to receive, store and/or process, any tier specificvalidity time prompt. In one embodiment, a validity time prompt may beprovided, as shown in screen 160 and illustrated further in tierspecific terms 196 of example thread generator 190 described below withreference to FIG. 1F, which may be used to allow the promoter to enter atime period (e.g., 30, 60, 90 days) for which each of the exemplaryspecific thread requirements or parameters, as well as anythread-specific and/or tier-specific fields as may be used to track thediscount levels associated with each of the exemplary three tiers of theexemplary thread generator, in an exemplary embodiments.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an example requirement term prompt“# of friends:” may be provided as shown, which may allow a promoter toenter, and for the processor to receive, store, and/or process, anyexemplary tier-specific requirement, criterion, or criteria, value for athread to reach a given tier. Generally, requirement prompts may bequantitative and measurable.

As shown, in the exemplary embodiment, the second tier 178 and thirdtier 180 may include, e.g., but not limited to, a prompt adapted for theprocessor to output or display to; and/or an associated input fieldadapted for the computer processor to receive from; the promoter anexemplary minimum level of numbers of customer users needed to qualifyas the next tier. According to an exemplary embodiment, each exemplarytier may be mutually exclusive of one another. For example, as shown, if1-4 users join the thread prior to the thread's expiration, then tierone may be the tier applied at countdown timer expiration/close (i.e.,the time when new customers can no longer join a given thread).Similarly, if 5-19 customers join, then tier 2 may be the applieddiscount tier upon exemplary countdown expiration, based on the settingsshown for the exemplary thread. Further, similarly, if 20 or morecustomers have joined, in the example, then exemplary tier 3 may be theapplied tier upon expiration of the exemplary countdown as shown. Thuseach range of a given tier may be mutually exclusive of another tier,i.e., there may be no overlap of the tiers, in one exemplary, butnonlimiting embodiment. Thus, upon expiration of the thread countdown inthis exemplary embodiment, only one tier may apply and promotionalvouchers/coupons may be issued based on the applied tier level based onthe requirements met at expiration (e.g., the number of joiningcustomers). In an alternative embodiment tiers may instead not bemutually exclusive, and may instead be set up to be aggregative, i.e., afirst tier may be considered a base deal benefit to be applied, and eachhigher tier may add an incremental benefit to a total benefit (notshown).

According to an exemplary embodiment, publish deal 184 may be used tocreate the thread generator by the promoter, once the thread generators'terms including the plurality of tiers 176, 178, and 180, including thetier-specific benefit parameters, the tier-specific requirements, andthe thread expiration countdown timer 172 value, according to oneexemplary embodiment, have been entered, and received by the computerprocessor, and the processor upon receiving the publish the deal 184indication may then publish a thread generator as depicted and describedfurther with respect to FIG. 1F, below.

FIG. 1F depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary screenshot 190of an exemplary user interface (UI) illustrating an exemplaryapplication program illustrating an exemplary dynamic-value couponthread generator 192 as may be used by a first customer user to create athread, i.e., including a mechanism to instantiate a first threadassociated with the thread generator, for the first user. As may beunderstood, other “first users” may also use the thread generator 192 tocreate their own respective thread based on the thread generator ascreated by the promoter as illustrated in FIG. 1E.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the exemplary dynamic-valuecoupon thread generator 192 may include program logic which may causeone or more computer processors to display a dynamic-value coupon threadgenerator 192, as shown in 190. According to an exemplary embodiment, asdiscussed above with reference to FIG. 1E, a promoter may according toan embodiment, respond to prompts generated by the one or more computerprocessors to create the dynamic-value coupon thread generator (threadgenerator) 192 (FIG. 1F). According to one exemplary embodiment, theexemplary dynamic-value coupon thread generator 192 may include programlogic which may cause one or more computer processors to capture,process, and/or display a thread generator title 194: (example shown)

Nordstrom Semi-Annual Sale—Dynamic Value Coupon Thread Generator

According to one exemplary embodiment, the exemplary dynamic-valuecoupon thread generator 192 may include program logic which may causeone or more computer processors to capture, process, and/or display oneor more tiered terms 196, 191 that, at any given time, may be used bythe processor to determine for a particular thread generated by thethread generator 192, which benefit 193 tier 176, 178, 180 of a givenplurality of tiers a thread may have been reached at a point in time,based on the a given requirement 195 value, such as, e.g., but notlimited to, a number of individuals who have successfully joined thethread at that time: (example)

Deal Thread Terms # of customers needed Tier Discount (Benefit) in thethread (Requirements) 1 5% off coupon, valid for 30 days 1 2 10% offcoupon, valid for 60 days 5 3 20% off coupon, valid for 90 days 20

According to one exemplary embodiment, the exemplary dynamic-valuecoupon thread generator 192 may include program logic which may causeone or more computer processors to capture, process, and/or display atleast one time value 197, which may be used to dynamically generate, andstart a computer processor executed countdown timer specific to eachthread that is generated by the computer processor for a de-novocustomer (a customer that is starting a fresh new thread, at tier 1,being the first customer on the thread). Thus, a new thread is createdby the thread generator 192 for a first customer. As discussed furtherherein, the first customer may then seek to have friends and contacts(other customers) join that first customer's thread, so that the threadmay qualify, at thread expiration (i.e., the time when no more newcustomers can join the thread), for higher tier benefits by having thecustomers join the thread, and increasing the number of customers toreach higher levels of requirements of higher tiers. The countdowntimer, in this example, a thread lifetime of 24 hours from generation,as shown in 197, will run and at expiration, i.e., completion of the 24hour period, depending on the number of joined customers, the highesttier reached as exemplified by the number of joined customers at timerexpiration, will then be applied to generate vouchers to the joinedcustomers including the first joined customer. As shown, the time valuemay be compared to the thread lifetime assigned by the promoter whencreating the thread generator.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the exemplary dynamic-valuecoupon thread generator 192 may include program logic which may causeone or more computer processors to execute the at least one countdowntimer 197 for a generated thread. Upon the expiration of the countdowntimer 197, the thread may expire (that is the time may arrive when nonew customers can join the thread), and all customers who have joinedthe thread may then be issued a promotional voucher for the discount (orother benefit 193) based on the tier 176, 178, 180, that the threadreached based on the requirements 195 as defined by the deal threadterms 191. (example shown)

Thread Lifetime: [X] 24 hours after generation(This means you have 24 hours after you start the thread to get as manycustomers as possible to join the thread in order to reach higher-valuetiers!)

According to one exemplary embodiment, the exemplary dynamic-valuecoupon thread generator 192 may include program logic which may causeone or more computer processors to execute to provide at least oneprompt and/or way to activate (e.g., interface element, button,selection, list choice, etc.) such as, e.g., but not limited to, anexemplary mechanism “[start my thread at tier 1]” 199 a, which a firstcustomer may select, and the computer processor may receive, to use thethread generator to generate a thread by being the first customer (denovo), and founding, customer, of the thread. (example shown)

Start your own thread: please enter your email address to be the firstand founding customer of your own thread. You will right away beeligible for the Tier 1 discount, and you will receive a hyperlink thatyou can share with your friends to bring them to a page from which theycan join your thread.Email address: ______

[START MY THREAD AT TIER 1]

According to an exemplary embodiment, the first customer may includecertain identifying indicia 199, such as, e.g., but not limited to, anelectronic mail (email) address, a customer number, an identifier, asocial security number, a username, a primary key, etc. According to anexemplary embodiment, each first user that seeks to create a threadusing the thread generator 192 may be identified by the identifyingindicia, and the identifying indicia of the first user may be associatedwith the thread.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the first customer, which may bereferred to as a de novo customer, may use the mechanism 199 a togenerate a dynamic-value coupon thread using the thread generator 192.By generating the thread, or creating the thread, the user may thencontact, and/or share the thread with the first user's friends andcontacts to encourage those other customers to join the thread.According to an exemplary embodiment, customers may continue to join thethread of the first customer until expiration of the countdown time,when a joined customer counter is then fixed and may be compared to thetier specific requirements to determine the tier to apply in issuingcoupons and/or promotional vouchers.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the system may provide the firstcustomer, or the de novo customer a credential and/or identifier for thethread created for the first user, to allow the first user to have itscomputer processor share with peers to bring them to a page from whichthey can join the thread. (example shown)

A hyperlink with the relational database primary key of the threadembedded inside the URL.www.passadeal.com?thread=209881409882←209881409882 is the primary keyidentifier This hyperlink will bring anyone who clicks it to aDYNAMIC-VALUE COUPON THREAD PORTAL (FIG. 7A).

According to an exemplary embodiment, a hyperlink may be provided to thefirst customer, where the hyperlink may include an exemplary relationaldatabase primary key of the thread embedded inside the universalresource locator (URL). For example such an example URL in an exemplaryembodiment, may appear as follows:“http://www.passadeal.com?thread=209881409882”, where 209881409882 maybe the primary key identifier associated with the particular threadassociated with the first user who created the thread. According to anexemplary embodiment, this hyperlink may be used to bring any customerwho clicks or otherwise activates the link to a dynamic-value couponthread portal, such as, e.g., but not limited to, the portal depictedand described further below with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 7A, and 7B,below. FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 200illustrating an exemplary graphical user interface (UI) screenshotdepicting an exemplary fixed offer, variable price offeringdynamic-value coupon thread portal, according to an exemplaryembodiment, which may be sent to a potential joining customer, by afirst customer or denovo customer who has created a thread as discussedabove with reference to FIG. 1E. Various optional features for anexemplary portal are depicted, but need not necessarily be included inall embodiments. For example, diagram 200 may illustrate one or morehyperlinks 202-210, an exemplary appeal to the customer being asked tojoin 212, the promotion title 216, which may correspond to the threadtitle 194 as created by a promoter when entered in the thread generatorin field 166 as discussed above. The portal page may include, in anexemplary embodiment, an exemplary image 214 of the given customer towhich the first user has shared the created thread. The given customerto which the first customer's thread has been offered, may be presentedother content on the user's portal page. For example, an image or textillustrating and/or describing the offer itself 216 may appear based onthe thread created previously, as entered by the promoter in the threadgenerator. In addition, the user being asked to join the thread may beprovided a current number of users who have already signed up to jointhe multi-tiered dynamic value thread 220 (the portal page may alsoinclude, e.g., images of the previously joined users and/or their number220, as shown, one of which may be the first user who created the threadusing the thread generator). As shown, the portal may provide a view ofthe useful, novel, and nonobvious dynamic-value coupon thread having twoor more tiers and the portal page may include display to the user of,e.g., but not limited to, potential benefit, and correspondingrequirements from each specific tier 222, 226, and 230. Thustier-specific benefits, and required joined users for each tier 222,226, 230 may be displayed by the processor to the user. As noted, thecurrent status of the deal 224, the current achieved tier level, 224,and/or the members in the thread and their number 220, may be depictedto illustrate the current value/benefit of the thread to the userconsidering joining the thread. Requirements of a specific thread mayalso be listed, and/or displayed as shown, with exemplary descriptionsof each required threshold or milestone associated with a tier, and mayinclude additional prompts to provide an incentive to encourage the userto join the thread, according to an exemplary embodiment. Otherinformation such as, e.g., but not limited to, further prompts 224, 228may be provided, displayed by the processor, to attempt to providefurther encouragement to a user reviewing the thread, to considerjoining the thread, according to an exemplary embodiment. The exemplaryportal as depicted, according to an exemplary embodiment, may bereached, according to an exemplary embodiment, by any of various wellknown means, including, e.g., but not limited to, a link in an email, asocial media post, and/or other embedded link or communication. Theportal may further include a user interface element such as, e.g., butnot limited to, a button 232, which may be used by the user to join thegiven thread 218 as illustrated. According to an exemplary embodiment,the time left to join the thread may be displayed to the user using acountdown timer 234 displaying an exemplary embodiment of the time leftuntil the thread expires (i.e., until no additional users may join thethread). Any of various well know ways of indicating temporal passage,or a time duration remaining may be used, including, e.g., but notlimited to, a countdown clock, a digital clock, an analog clock, analphanumeric clock, a graphical clock, a sand clock, etc. As described,the user may receive an exemplary link or other exemplary communicationthat may bring the user to this portal, such as, e.g., but not limitedto, an earlier described integrated thread identifier URL link, anemail, post, tweet, or communication, etc., to appeal to a user if notyet joined, to encourage the user to consider joining the promotionthread, according to an exemplary embodiment. Various other informationmay be displayed on the portal page, and/or provided to the userconsidering joining the thread such as, e.g., but not limited to, ahistory of other threads joined, other user profile information,additional threads the user may wish to consider joining, additionalcountdown indicators, expiration dates, ways to print coupons, vouchers,advertising, games, promotions, text, audio and/or video, and/or othercontent, etc. The portal application program and/or links to the portal,may be integrated and/or embedded into other well known collaborativeenvironments or applications such as, e.g., but not limited to,LotusLive, Microsoft Exchange/Sharepoint, GoogleTalk, GoogleVoice,Skype, Facetime, Google+, and/or video teleconferencing, Voxeo,SalesForce.com, CRM systems, etc., and/or other network environments,social media environments, communications environments, and/orcollaborative environments. Thus, the illustration of exemplary fixedimages, and/or exemplary arrangements of the exemplary portal is merelyexemplary, but nonlimiting, as video means, an audio appeal, or a videostream and/or other content may also be used to encourage participationor to depict other users/friends/contacts of the portal's user, who maybe participating, may be considering participating, or may be interestedin such offerings, etc., according to various exemplary embodiments.

As will be understood, though not shown, according to another exemplaryembodiment, the first user may be provided the first user's own portalpage, which may, according to an exemplary embodiment depict a currentstatus of the promotion thread and may permit the first user topotentially invite additional users to consider joining, and/or provideother content and/or other potential thread generators that the user mayconsider creating additional threads from as a first user.

FIG. 2B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 232 illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting an exemplary fixed price,variable offering, dynamic-value coupon thread portal according to anexemplary embodiment, which may be send to a potential joining customer,by a first customer or de novo customer who has created a thread asdiscussed above with reference to FIG. 1E. Various optional features foran exemplary portal are depicted, but need not necessarily be includedin all embodiments. For example, diagram 232 may illustrate one or morehyperlinks 202-210, an exemplary appeal to the customer being asked tojoin 212, the promotion title 216, which may correspond to the threadtitle 194 as created by a promoter when entered in the thread generatorin field 166 as discussed above. The portal page may include, in anexemplary embodiment, an exemplary image 214 of the given customer towhich the first user has shared the created thread. The given customerto which the first customer's thread has been offered, may be presentedother content on the user's portal page. For example, an image or textillustrating and/or describing the offer itself 216 may appear based onthe thread created previously, as entered by the promoter in the threadgenerator. In addition, the user being asked to join the thread may beprovided, according to an embodiment, a current number of users who havealready signed up to join the multi-tiered dynamic value thread 220 (theportal page may also include, e.g., images of the previously joinedusers and/or their number 220, as shown, one of which may be the firstuser who created the thread using the thread generator). As shown, theportal may provide a view of the useful, novel, and nonobviousdynamic-value coupon thread having two or more tiers and the portal pagemay include display to the user of, e.g., but not limited to, potentialbenefit, and corresponding requirements from each specific tier 222,226, and 230. Thus tier-specific benefits, and required joined users foreach tier 222, 226, 230 may be displayed by the processor to the user.As noted, the current status of the deal 224, the current tier level,224, and/or the members in the thread and their number 220, may bedepicted to illustrate the current value/benefit of the thread to theuser considering joining the thread. Requirements of a specific threadmay also be listed, and/or displayed as shown, with exemplarydescriptions of each required threshold or milestone associated with atier, and may include additional prompts to provide an incentive toencourage the user to join the thread, according to an exemplaryembodiment. Other information such as, e.g., but not limited to, furtherprompts 224, 228 may be provided, displayed by the processor, to attemptto provide further encouragement to a user reviewing thread, to considerjoining the thread, according to an exemplary embodiment. The exemplaryportal as depicted, according to an exemplary embodiment, may bereached, according to an exemplary embodiment, by any of various wellknown means, including, e.g., but not limited to, a link in an email, asocial media post, and/or other embedded link or communication. Theportal may further include a user interface element such as, e.g., butnot limited to, a button 232, which may be used by the user to join thegiven thread 218 as illustrated. According to an exemplary embodiment,the time left to join the thread may be displayed to the user using acountdown timer 234 displaying an exemplary embodiment of the time leftuntil the thread expires (i.e., until no additional users may join thethread). Any of various well know ways of indicating temporal passage,or a time duration remaining may be used, including, e.g., but notlimited to, a countdown clock, a digital clock, an analog clock, analphanumeric clock, a graphical clock, a sand clock, etc. As described,the user may receive an exemplary link or other exemplary communicationthat may bring the user to this portal, such as, e.g., but not limitedto, an email, post, tweet, or communication, etc., to appeal to a userif not yet joined, to encourage the user to consider joining orpurchasing the promotion thread, according to an exemplary embodiment.Various other information may be displayed on the portal page, and/orprovided to the user considering joining the thread such as, e.g., butnot limited to, a history of other threads joined, other user profileinformation, additional threads the user may wish to consider joining,additional countdown indicators, expiration dates, ways to printcoupons, vouchers, etc. The portal application program and/or links tothe portal, may be integrated into and/or embedded other well knowncollaborative environments or applications such as, e.g., but notlimited to, LotusLive, Microsoft Exchange/Sharepoint, GoogleTalk,GoogleVoice, Skype, Facetime, Google+, and/or video teleconferencing,Voxeo, SalesForce.com, CRM systems, etc., and/or other networkenvironments, social media environments, communications environments,and/or collaborative environments. Thus, the illustration of exemplaryfixed images, and/or exemplary arrangements of the exemplary portal ismerely exemplary, but nonlimiting as video means, an audio appeal, or avideo stream and/or other content may also be used to encourageparticipation or to depict other users/friends/contacts of the portal'suser, who may be participating, may be considering participating, or maybe interested in such offerings, etc., according to various exemplaryembodiments.

As will be understood, though not shown, according to another exemplaryembodiment, the first user may be provided the first user's own portalpage, which may, according to an exemplary embodiment depict a currentstatus of the promotion thread and may permit the first user topotentially invite additional users to consider joining, and/or provideother content and/or other potential thread generators that the user mayconsider creating additional threads from as a first user.

FIG. 3A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 300 illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot for an other embodiment of anexemplary user interface application program as the method describedwith reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamic value socialpromotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplary fixed offer,variable price thread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment.Diagram 300 as illustrated may include one or more hyperlinks asillustrated by 302-310, a description of the type of thread generatorbeing created 312, in this case a fixed offer, variable price offeringthread generator has been chosen by an exemplary promoter user (e.g., avendor user, a marketer user, and/or a promotion service provider user,etc.), e.g., selected by a link such as, e.g., 302 from another screen,according to an exemplary embodiment. The graphical user interface ofthe application program may include one or more prompts such as offerprompt 314, and user interactive fields 316 for receiving exemplaryalphanumeric text from the promoter user (i.e., promotion serviceprovider user, vendor user and/or marketer user) interacting with theapplication program, according to an exemplary embodiment. The programinterface may prompt for a supply indication 322, which may indicate alimited number of threads which may be generated from the threadgenerator being created, and may provide exemplary radio buttons 324,326, or other interface elements, to allow the computer processor toreceive a user selection of, e.g., but not limited to, an unlimitedsupply, or a limited supply, and/or a text (e.g., numeric) indication328, as well as a novel and nonobvious countdown indication associatedwith the multi-tier dynamic value thread being generated by the threadgenerator, with user selectable time period radio buttons 320, accordingto an exemplary embodiment. A plurality of tiers 330, 334, 340 areillustrated with exemplary prompts 322, 330, 334, 340, and fields 332,336, 338, 342, 344, to be completed by the promoter may be displayed bythe computer processor, according to an exemplary embodiment. If thepromoter user wishes to add additional tiers to the plurality of defaulttiers (in the exemplary embodiment 3 or more, but could be 2 or more),an add tier button 346 may be provided enabling the computer processorto receive an indication to add an additional tier to the threadgenerator. According to an exemplary embodiment, various terms may bereceived, stored and/or processed by the computer processor from thepromoter creating the thread generator, including e.g., but not limitedto, benefit amounts or values, as well as requirements or milestones formeeting the thresholds of each specific tier, such as, e.g., but notlimited to, the variation in price or discount as shown in 332, 338, 344or change in requirement such as shown in 336, and 342, according to anexemplary embodiment. Additional tiers may be added with 346, and thethread generator may be published with 348, according to an exemplaryembodiment. The marketer user may further upload an image or othercontent as shown in FIG. 3A element 350, for example, for use in thethread generator application as illustrated in FIG. 1F. An example of acompleted exemplary creation of thread generator is depicted in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 3B depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 352 illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting another exemplaryembodiment of an exemplary user interface application program as themethod described with reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamicvalue social promotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplarypromoter user interface for interactively creating an exemplary fixedprice, variable offer thread generator, according to an exemplaryembodiment. Diagram 352 as illustrated may include one or morehyperlinks as illustrated by 302-310, a description of the type ofthread generator being created 312, in this case a fixed price, variableoffer offering thread generator has been chosen by an exemplary promoteruser (e.g., a vendor user, a marketer user, and/or a promotion serviceprovider user, etc.), e.g., selected by a link such as, e.g., 304 fromanother screen, according to an exemplary embodiment. The graphical userinterface of the application program may include one or more promptssuch as offer prompt 314, and user interactive fields 316 for receivingexemplary alphanumeric text from the promoter user (i.e., promotionservice provider user, vendor user and/or marketer user) interactingwith the application program, according to an exemplary embodiment. Theprogram interface may prompt for a supply indication 322, which mayindicate a limited number of threads which may be generated from thethread generator being created, and may provide exemplary radio buttons324, 326, or other interface elements, to allow the computer processorto receive a user selection of, e.g., but not limited to, an unlimitedsupply, or a limited supply, and/or a text (e.g., numeric) indication328, as well as a novel and nonobvious countdown indication associatedwith the multi-tier dynamic value thread being generated by the threadgenerator, with user selectable time period radio buttons 320, accordingto an exemplary embodiment. A plurality of tiers 330, 334, 340 areillustrated with exemplary prompts 322, 330, 334, 340, and fields 332,336, 338, 342, 344, to be completed by the promoter may be displayed bythe computer processor, according to an exemplary embodiment. If thepromoter user wishes to add additional tiers to the plurality of defaulttiers (in the exemplary embodiment 3 or more, but could be 2 or more),an add tier button 346 may be provided enabling the computer processorto receive an indication to add an additional tier to the threadgenerator. According to an exemplary embodiment, various terms may bereceived, stored and/or processed by the computer processor from thepromoter creating the thread generator, including e.g., but not limitedto, benefit amounts or values, as well as requirements or milestones formeeting the thresholds of each specific tier, such as, e.g., but notlimited to, the variation in offer as shown in 332, 338, and 344, orchange in requirement such as shown in 336, and 342, according to anexemplary embodiment. Additional tiers may be added with 346, and thethread generator may be published with 348, according to an exemplaryembodiment. The promoter user may further upload an image or othercontent as shown in FIG. 3B element 350, for example, for use in thethread generator application as illustrated in FIG. 1F. An example of acompleted exemplary creation of thread generator is depicted in FIG. 6B.

FIG. 3C depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 354 illustrating anexemplary user interface screenshot depicting another exemplaryembodiment of an exemplary user interface application program as themethod described with reference to FIG. 1E above, for creating a dynamicvalue social promotion (DVSP), depicting creation of an exemplary nocommitment, just pass the deal and make it bigger exemplary promotionthread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment. Similarly toFIGS. 3A and 3B above, FIG. 3C may be used to create a thread generatoraccording to an exemplary embodiment, in an exemplary embodiment.Similar to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C may include tier specificdiscount percentage prompts 338, and input fields 332, 338, 344, andunlike FIG. 3B, no price 316 need be provided, but instead an offerdescription field 316 may be provided, but otherwise 354 may be similarto 300 and 352, according to an exemplary embodiment, and thus not allelements may be labeled. Thus, a promoter may use an application 300,352, 354, (and/or 160) to create a thread generator according to variousexemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary flow diagram 400, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of creating a threadgenerator by a promoter.

Flow diagram 400 may begin as shown, in an exemplary embodiment with402, and may continue immediately with 404, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 404, a device of a promoter user, such as, e.g., but not limited to,a vendor user, a marketer user, and/or a promotion service provideruser, working on behalf of, e.g., but not limited to, a vendor, amanufacturer, a business, and/or a service provider, etc., may select alink or other way of executing a program on at least one computerprocessor, to request that the at least one computer processor create anexemplary dynamic-value coupon thread generator, according to oneexemplary embodiment. The computing device may accept the request tocreate a dynamic-value coupon thread generator and according to anexemplary embodiment flow diagram 400 may continue by prompting (notshown) the promoter user to select the type of dynamic-value couponthread generator that the promoter wants to create and may branch and/orlink to the exemplary selected type of dynamic-value coupon threadgenerator desired 406, 408, or 410 (e.g., the prompt and user selectionis not shown, to branch to e.g., 406, 408, or 410, etc.)

If creating a multiple tier fixed offer, variable price promotiondynamic-value coupon thread generator is desired by the promoter, thenflow diagram 400 may continue with 406, in an exemplary embodiment. Ifcreating a multiple tier fixed price, variable offer promotiondynamic-value coupon thread generator is desired by the promoter, thenflow diagram 400 may continue with 408, in an exemplary embodiment.Also, if creating a multiple tier no commitment, pass the deal and makeit bigger promotion dynamic-value coupon thread generator is desired bythe promoter, then flow diagram 400 may continue with 410, in anexemplary embodiment.

In 406, the method may create a multiple tier fixed offer, variableprice promotion dynamic-value coupon thread generator and, then flowdiagram 400 may continue with 412, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 408, the method may create a multiple tier fixed price, variableoffer promotion dynamic-value coupon thread generator and, then flowdiagram 400 may continue with 412, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 410, the method may create a multiple tier no commitment, pass thedeal and make it bigger promotion dynamic-value coupon thread generatorand, then flow diagram 400 may continue with 412, in an exemplaryembodiment.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the computing device may next,beginning with exemplary elements 412-416 receive various exemplaryinput thread terms and promoter dynamic-value coupon thread generatorselections of the promoter user from, e.g., a GUI as illustrated anddescribed further above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3C, in an exemplaryembodiment. According to an exemplary embodiment, various deal terms maybe similar regardless of which type of thread generator is beingcreated.

In 412, the computing device may receive (and/or store) the threadgenerator's title for the thread generator being created from thepromoter user. From 412, flow diagram 400 may continue with 414, in anexemplary embodiment.

In 414, the computing device may receive (and/or store) multi-tierthread generator thread terms (including, e.g., tier-specific benefitand tier-specific requirements). From 414, flow diagram 400 may continuewith 416, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 416, the computing device may receive (and/or store) at least oneexpiration count down timer term providing, e.g., but not limited to, atime duration between initialization of a thread and expiration of thecountdown timer (i.e., the time after which no additional customer usersmay join the thread). From 416, flow diagram 400 may continue with 418.

In 418, the computing device may receive (and/or store) thread generatorfor later instantiation as a thread). From 418, flow diagram 400 maycontinue with 420 and may immediately end, according to one exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 4B depicts an exemplary flow diagram 422, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of generating a threadusing the thread generator of FIG. 4A for a first customer user, and forinitializing and executing the generated thread, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Flow diagram 422 may begin as shown with 424, and may continueimmediately with 426, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 424, a computing device may receive an indication of activation of amechanism to generate a thread using a dynamic-value coupon threadgenerator as created by the process 400 described with reference to FIG.4A above. According to an exemplary embodiment, the thread generator maybe used by a first customer user to generate a thread. In oneembodiment, the thread may be generated by receiving identifyinginformation of the first user such as, e.g., but not limited to, anidentifier, a customer identifier, a credit card number, a socialsecurity number, a data base primary key, and/or a customer number, etc.From 426, flow diagram 422 may continue with 428.

In 428, the computing device may receive (and/or store) the customeridentifier provided by the first customer user, and may associate theidentifier with the generated multi-tiered thread. The identifyinginformation about the first user received in one embodiment may includeidentifying information of the first user such as, e.g., but not limitedto, an identifier, a customer identifier, a credit card number, a socialsecurity number, a data base primary key, and/or a customer number, etc.The identifying information may be associated with the exemplary threadgenerated using the thread generator described above, in one exemplaryembodiment. Alternatively, a unique identifier for the generated threadmay be associated with the identifying information of the first user.From 428, flow diagram 422 may continue with 430, in an exemplaryembodiment.

In 430, the computing device may initialize a joined customer counter atone representing the first user, and may start a countdown timer per thethread generator's countdown timer expiration duration setting,according to an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment,credentials may be provided to the first customer user, and/or anidentifier of the generated thread, and/or an exemplary URL link may beprovided to the first user for sharing with contacts and/or friends asdescribed further with reference to FIG. 4C, according to an exemplaryembodiment. From 430, flow diagram 422 may continue with 432.

In 432, it may be determined by the computing device whether thecountdown timer has expired yet. In the event of countdown timerexpiration, then flow diagram 422 may continue with 438, and if thecountdown has not yet expired, then flow diagram 422 may continue with434.

In 434, the computing device may determine if any additional customerusers have joined the generated thread, and if so, then may receive andstore credit card or other identifying information for the additionaljoining customer users, according to an exemplary embodiment. Accordingto an exemplary embodiment, identifying information may be received(and/or stored) for the joining users. From 434, flow diagram 422 maycontinue with 436.

In 436, the computing device may increase a counter of joined customersand/or the valued of joined customers may be stored for later use indetermining the relevant tier of the multi-tier dynamically variablevalue thread at countdown expiration, in an exemplary embodiment. From436, in an exemplary embodiment, flow diagram 422 may continue with 432.

In 432, the computing device may determine whether the countdown for themulti-tiered generated thread has expired yet, in an exemplaryembodiment. If the countdown has expired, then flow diagram 422 maycontinue with 438, or if not yet expired, then again with 434, in anexemplary embodiment.

In 434, prior to expiration of the countdown, in an exemplaryembodiment, then the computing device may again detect if additionalcustomer users have joined the offering in an exemplary embodiment, andthe computing device may receive from the client device the credit cardinformation and/or other identifying information from the joining user,and may store that information in association with the same identifierof the generated thread created when the first user generated themulti-tier dynamic value thread when the thread was initialized orinstantiated from the thread generator in an exemplary embodiment. From434, flow diagram 422 may again continue with 436, in an exemplaryembodiment.

In 436, the computer processor device may increment or increase thecounter for any additional joined users who have agreed to join and/orpurchase the multi-tiered generated thread in an exemplary embodiment.From 436, flow diagram 422 may again continue to loop back to 432, in anexemplary embodiment, until the countdown timer has been determined tobe expired (i.e., the time has arrived that no additional customer usersmay join the multi-tier thread).

In 438 then, in an exemplary embodiment, the computer processor devicemay determine which tier of the plurality of tiers of which to apply theterms including the benefit terms, which may be determined based on anexemplary comparison of the number of joined customers that joined thegenerated thread as tracked in the joined customer counter, i.e., thevalue of the joined user counter as it stood at the time of expirationof the countdown timer may be compared to the tier-specific requirementsassociated with each specific tier, according to an exemplaryembodiment. Based on the comparison of the counter and the tierrequirements, a tier benefit term value to apply may be identified basedon the tier corresponding to the joined user counter value, in anexemplary embodiment. According to an embodiment, the counter value mayfall within a single range associated with a single tier, and thecorresponding benefit term of that single tier may be used to generatepromotion vouchers, in an exemplary embodiment. From 438, flow diagram422 may continue with 440, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 440, the computer processor device may generate, issue, and/ortransmit promotional vouchers and/or coupons to joined customers, andmay process the credit cards or other financial transactions to applythe terms of the achieved tier of the thread to provide the vouchers tothe associated joined users, in an exemplary embodiment. In 440, anydata updates and/or financial transactions necessary to affect anyrevenue sharing and/or allocating transactions to allocate any revenueto any promoter(s) such as, e.g., but not limited to, a vendor, amarketer, an advertiser, a manufacturer, a service provider, and/orpromotion service provider, etc. are performed in an exemplaryembodiment. In an embodiment, the computing device in 440 may allocaterevenue to marketer, and/or the service provider, respectively,according to any agreement between such entities, if any allocation isto be done, in an exemplary embodiment. In 440, coupons and/orpromotional vouchers may be generated, in an exemplary embodiment, at atime before, at the same time, or at a time after the credit cards ofthe users are charged, according to exemplary embodiments, and thecoupons and/or vouchers may be issued to those joined users who havejoined the promotional generated thread, and may include transmittingthe coupon and/or voucher to the joined customer users for laterredemption as with conventional coupons or vouchers (prior to coupon orvoucher fulfillment or redemption expiration, in an exemplaryembodiment. To be clear, the coupon fulfillment or redemption expirationis of course a different expiration time, which will be later than theexpiration of the countdown timer discussed above with reference to thegenerated thread, in an exemplary embodiment. From 440, flow diagram 422may continue with 442, and may immediately end, in an exemplaryembodiment. Although not discussed herein, various methods of userauthentication and/or validation of the financial transaction may beincluded in various exemplary embodiments, including for example, butnot limited to, when the customer enters credit card information, 3 or 4digit validation codes and/or credit card expiration dates may berequired, and/or voice recording of confirmation of financialtransactions may also be possible using such technologies as callrecording and/or voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication callrecording, according to other exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 4C depicts an exemplary flow diagram 446, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process of requesting a generatedthread for a first customer user, and receiving and sharing threadindicia with other users in an effort to invite other users to join thethread, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Flow diagram 446 may begin as shown with 448, and may continueimmediately with 450, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 450, the computing device of a first customer user (a de novocustomer) which is a networked computer of a user using an electroniccollaborative environment, such as, e.g., but not limited to, electronicmail, or a social network with a plurality of contacts or friends, mayreceive an indication of a request to generate a thread along with thecustomer's identifying information (e.g., an electronic mail address,credit card information, a social security card, a username, a customername, and/or logon credentials, etc.). The computing device may storethe information and/or provide and/or transfer the information. From450, 446 may continue with 452.

In 452, the computing device of the first customer user may send arequest on behalf of the first customer or de novo customer, to generatea thread along with the customer identifier (e.g., but not limited to,credit card information, etc.) to the promoter (e.g., but not limitedto, a vendor, and/or promotion service provider, etc.), or a computingdevice executing a dynamic value multi-tier thread generator as createdas described above with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. From 452, 446 maycontinue with 454.

In 454, the first customer client computing device may then receivecredentials and/or an identifier, which may be associated with amulti-tier dynamic value coupon thread generated from a promoter createdmulti-tier dynamic value coupon thread generator. The multi-tier dynamicvalue coupon thread received, may have been created as described indiagram 422 described above with reference to FIG. 4B, using amulti-tier dynamic value coupon thread generator (where the threadgenerator itself may have been created according to the process 400described above with reference to FIG. 4A), according to an exemplaryembodiment. The multi-tier dynamic value coupon thread may be identifiedby a link to the thread. Activation of the link by a user may provide tothe user an opportunity to join a multi-tiered dynamic value couponthread to obtain a coupon for a discount or value benefit for a good orservice of a given vendor, for which a promoter (e.g., a marketer, thevendor, and/or a promotion service provider) may have created amulti-tiered dynamic value coupon thread generator that may be used togenerate a multi-tiered dynamic value coupon thread of the promotion, inan exemplary embodiment. Thus, in 454, the client user's computingdevice may receive a link to the multi-tiered dynamic valuecoupon/promotion thread, in an exemplary embodiment. From 454, the flowdiagram 446 may continue with 456, according to an exemplary embodiment.

In 456, the computing device may receive at the computing device, aselection of at least one customer user of, e.g., but not limited to, anemail contact list, and/or one or more social network friends, and/orcontacts of the given customer user, or a collaborative environment, orsocial network share request, etc. to which to provide and/or transmitthe identifying indicia of the multi-tiered dynamic value coupon threadand/or link to the thread, in an exemplary embodiment. Alternatively,the computing device may share the link to a social network or othercommunication environment for inviting user customers to join thethread; in an exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, a thread creationprocess may forward the thread link on the customer user's behalf. Inanother embodiment, the first customer user (de novo customer) mayforward the link directly using the first customer user's computingdevice, without the need for transmission by the promoter, (the vendorand/or the promotion service provider), in an exemplary embodiment. Thelink or URL to the thread may for example be posted by the first user'sinteractive actions (such as, e.g., but not limited to, an exemplaryshare or invite feature) on a Facebook profile page, and/or in theuser's timeline, and/or in a news list, etc., and/or may be tweeted viaTwitter, emailed to a group of users, and/or placed as a status inLinked in environment, or the like, etc., by the computing device, in anexemplary embodiment. From 456, flow diagram 446 may continue with 458,in an exemplary embodiment.

In 458, flow diagram 446 the computing device may determine whether, inan exemplary embodiment, whether the user may have additional friendsand/or contacts to which to communicate the thread, in an exemplaryembodiment. If the computing device determines the customer user mayhave additional friends and/or contacts that the user desires to inviteto join, and/or notify of the thread, then flow diagram 446 may continueto loop back to 456, in an exemplary embodiment. If instead noadditional friends and/or contacts are to be notified, then flow diagram446 may continue with 460, in an exemplary embodiment. In an alternativeembodiment, the promotion may be automatically transmitted to allcontacts and/or friends, in an exemplary embodiment (not shown). Inanother embodiment, the exemplary link to the exemplary thread may beposted on the users' desired and/or designated location, and/or anidentifier in the link may associate the thread with the first customeruser, if others join the thread based on the post, in an exemplaryembodiment.

In 460, the computing processor device may transmit the link to threadto, e.g., but not limited to, an exemplary list of selected friendsand/or contacts as may be indicated by the customer user for thosefriends and/or contacts to consider joining the multi-tiered dynamicvalue thread, in an exemplary embodiment. In another embodiment, thelink to the thread may be forwarded to any and/or all friends and/orcontacts of the customer user, in an exemplary embodiment. In yetanother embodiment, the promotion may only be posted on a given sitewithout an associated notice being sent to contacts, in an exemplaryembodiment. From 460, flow diagram 446 may continue with 462.

In 462, flow diagram 456 may optionally, in an exemplary embodiment,display a current status of the thread in response to any first userinquiry, e.g., the thread according to an exemplary embodiment may causethe computing device to request from a database and the computing devicemay then provide for display of, e.g., but not limited to, a listing ofvarious thread and/or thread status information such as, e.g., but notlimited to, the current joined user count, the terms of the exemplarygenerated thread including e.g., but not limited to, any benefit and/orrequirements of each of the plurality of tier levels of the multi-tierdynamic value coupon thread, the current tier level including, e.g., thetier benefit associated with current tier based on if the thread were todescribe immediately, displaying friends that have joined the offeringand/or, displaying the current countdown time until expiration of thecountdown timer according to the generated thread, any friends invitedand/or not yet invited, a time temporal measure or estimate of amount oftime left until a coupon expires, images and/or content such as, e.g.,but not limited to, text based information and/or content, and/or videoteleconferencing of friends and/or contacts, an image, audio, video, orother content for the promotion, images, audio, video, webcam, or othercontent for friends whom have joined, etc., in an exemplary embodiment.From 462, flow diagram 446 may continue with 464, in an exemplaryembodiment.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art, the threadstatus information discussed in 462 may be very similar to theinformation shared on a user customer invitation dynamic-value couponthread portal as illustrated in FIG. 2A, for example. The computingdevice of the user considering joining a thread may through well knownhypertext transfer protocol (http) requests and/or responses in oneexemplary browser based application may open a dynamic-value couponthread portal, when invited, to display the current status of thethread, including such information as shown for example in FIG. 2A.

In 464, the computer processor device may determine whether thecountdown timer for the exemplary multi-tiered coupon thread has expiredyet. If the countdown timer has expired, then flow diagram 446 maycontinue with 470, or if the timer has not yet expired, then flowdiagram 446 may continue with 466, in an exemplary embodiment.

In 466, if the countdown timer has been determined to be not yetexpired, then the computing device may determine whether there are anyother customer users to invite, and if the determination is that thereare no more users to invite then flow diagram 446 may continue with 468,or if it is determined by the computing device that there are more usersto invite, then flow diagram 446 may continue with 456.

In 468, status may be obtained and/or provided for the thread to, e.g.,but not limited to, to be displayed to the first user, in an exemplaryembodiment, similarly to 462, in response to the first user's queryand/or inquiry into status of the thread, in an exemplary embodiment.From 468, flow diagram 446 may continue with 464.

In 470, since the countdown may have now expired, according to anexemplary embodiment, the computer processor device(s) may perform anyof a number of exemplary task to provide a coupon and/or promotionalvoucher for printing or mobile use of the coupon, at the applied tierlevel as tracked by a computer processor tracking the joined usercounter value, as determined to correspond to, or to fall within a rangeof requirements of a given tier, or the tier level corresponding to thejoined user incremented counter value for the generated dynamic-valuecoupon thread identified by the identifier associated with the firstcustomer, in an exemplary embodiment. In 470, the computing device may,in one exemplary embodiment receive a client device promotional voucheradapted to be printed and/or adapted for viewing and/or display on anexemplary mobile device of the coupon and/or promotional voucherincluding a tier-specific benefit term applied at the tier level of theplurality of tier levels of the thread received from the promoter, basedon a comparison of final joined user counter value at countdown timerexpiration, as compared to thread tier-specific requirements, todetermine the appropriate final tier of the thread at countdownexpiration, according to an exemplary embodiment. From 470, flow diagram446 may continue with 472, and may immediately end, in an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 4C depicts an exemplary flow diagram 446, according to an exemplaryembodiment illustrating an exemplary process 446 as may be used in oneembodiment to request a generated thread for a first customer user, andenabling receiving and sharing of thread indicia with other usersencouraging those users to join the thread, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary diagram 500 illustrating an exemplarycomputer/communications device hardware architecture as may be used invarious components of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary diagram 500 illustrating an exemplarycomputer/communications device hardware architecture as may be used invarious components of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary view 500 of an exemplary computer system102, 104, 112 as may be used in implementing an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of acomputer system that may be used in computing devices such as, e.g., butnot limited to, user devices 102, 102 a, 102 b, promotions serviceprovide device 108, 108 a, 108 b, and/or web server 108 a and/orapplication server 108 b, social network computing device(s) 112 ofsocial network 110, vendor user devices 116, 116 a, 116 b and 114,network components 104, etc. according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a computersystem that may be used as client device 108, or a server device (notshown), etc. The present invention (or any part(s) or function(s)thereof) may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or acombination thereof and may be implemented in one or more computersystems or other processing systems. In fact, in one exemplaryembodiment, the invention may be directed toward one or more computersystems capable of carrying out the functionality described herein. Anexample of a computer system 500 is shown in FIG. 5, depicting anexemplary embodiment of a block diagram of an exemplary computer systemuseful for implementing the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5illustrates an example computer 500, which in an exemplary embodimentmay be, e.g., (but not limited to) a personal computer (PC) systemrunning an operating system such as, e.g., (but not limited to) WINDOWSMOBILE™ for POCKET PC, or MICROSOFT® WINDOWS® NT/98/2000/XP/CE/7/8 . . ., etc. available from MICROSOFT® Corporation of Redmond, Wash., U.S.A.,SOLARIS® from SUN® Microsystems of Santa Clara, Calif., U.S.A, OS/2 fromIBM® Corporation of Armonk, N.Y., U.S.A, Mac/OS, OS/X, iOS from APPLE®Corporation of Cupertino, Calif., U.S.A, etc, or any of various versionsof UNIX® (a trademark of the Open Group of San Francisco, Calif., USA)including, e.g., LINUX®, HPUX®, IBM AIX®, and SCO/UNIX®, etc. However,the invention may not be limited to these platforms. Instead, theinvention may be implemented on any appropriate computer system runningany appropriate operating system. In one exemplary embodiment, thepresent invention may be implemented on a computer system operating asdiscussed herein. An exemplary computer system, computer 500 is shown inFIG. 5. Other components of the invention, such as, e.g., (but notlimited to) a computing device, a communications device, a telephone, apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a handheldPC, client workstations, thin clients, thick clients, proxy servers,network communication servers, remote access devices, client computers,server computers, routers, web servers, data, media, audio, video,telephony or streaming technology servers, a tablet, a phone, a mobilephone, a cellular phone, a communications device, an iPod, an iPhone, asmartphone, an iPad, a tablet based device, a smart phone, an ANDROID OSdevice, an iOS device, a Symbian based device, a Windows 8 device, etc.,may also be implemented using a computer such as that shown in FIG. 5.

The computer system 500 may include one or more processors, such as,e.g., but not limited to, processor(s) 504. The processor(s) 504 may beconnected to a communication infrastructure 506 (e.g., but not limitedto, a communications bus, cross-over bar, or network, etc.). Variousexemplary software embodiments may be described in terms of thisexemplary computer system. After reading this description, it willbecome apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art(s) how toimplement the invention using other computer systems and/orarchitectures.

Computer system 500 may include a display interface 502 that mayforward, e.g., but not limited to, graphics, text, and other data, etc.,from the communication infrastructure 506 (or from a frame buffer, etc.,not shown) for display on the display unit 530.

The computer system 500 may also include, e.g., but may not be limitedto, a main memory 508, random access memory (RAM), and a secondarymemory 510, etc. The secondary memory 510 may include, for example, (butnot limited to) a hard disk drive 512 and/or a removable storage drive514, representing a floppy diskette drive, a magnetic tape drive, anoptical disk drive, a compact disk drive CD-ROM, etc. The removablestorage drive 514 may, e.g., but not limited to, read from and/or writeto a removable storage unit 518 in a well known manner. Removablestorage unit 518, also called a program storage device or a computerprogram product, may represent, e.g., but not limited to, a floppy disk,magnetic tape, optical disk, compact disk, etc. which may be read fromand written to by removable storage drive 514. As will be appreciated,the removable storage unit 518 may include a computer usable storagemedium having stored therein computer software and/or data.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, secondary memory 510 may includeother similar devices for allowing computer programs or otherinstructions to be loaded into computer system 500. Such devices mayinclude, for example, a removable storage unit 522 and an interface 520.Examples of such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface(such as, e.g., but not limited to, those found in video game devices),a removable memory chip (such as, e.g., but not limited to, an erasableprogrammable read only memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory(PROM) and associated socket, and other removable storage units 522 andinterfaces 520, which may allow software and data to be transferred fromthe removable storage unit 522 to computer system 500.

Computer 500 may also include an input device such as, e.g., (but notlimited to) a mouse or other pointing device such as a digitizer, and akeyboard or other data entry device (none of which are labeled).

Computer 500 may also include output devices, such as, e.g., (but notlimited to) display 530, and display interface 502. Computer 500 mayinclude input/output (I/O) devices such as, e.g., (but not limited to)communications interface 524, cable 528 and communications path 526,etc. These devices may include, e.g., but not limited to, a networkinterface card, and modems (neither are labeled). Communicationsinterface 524 may allow software and data to be transferred betweencomputer system 500 and external devices. Examples of communicationsinterface 524 may include, e.g., but may not be limited to, a modem, anetwork interface (such as, e.g., an Ethernet card), a communicationsport, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)slot, PC Card, SDRAM, universal serial bus (USB), solid state device(SSD), and card, etc. Software and data transferred via communicationsinterface 524 may be in the form of signals 528 which may be electronic,electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of being received bycommunications interface 524. These signals 528 may be provided tocommunications interface 524 via, e.g., but not limited to, acommunications path 526 (e.g., but not limited to, a channel). Thischannel 526 may carry signals 528, which may include, e.g., but notlimited to, propagated signals, and may be implemented using, e.g., butnot limited to, wire or cable, fiber optics, a telephone line, acellular link, an radio frequency (RF) link and other communicationschannels, etc.

In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computerreadable medium” may be used to generally refer to media such as, e.g.,but not limited to removable storage drive 514, a hard disk installed inhard disk drive 512, and signals 528, etc. These computer programproducts may provide software to computer system 500. The invention maybe directed to such computer program products.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,”“various embodiments,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of theinvention so described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated useof the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” donot necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.

In the following description and claims, the terms “coupled” and“connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should beunderstood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other.Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicatethat two or more elements are in direct or indirect physical orelectrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or moreelements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However,“coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in directcontact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with eachother.

An algorithm is here, and generally, considered to be a self-consistentsequence of acts or operations leading to a desired result. Theseinclude physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, thoughnot necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical ormagnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined,compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times,principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals asbits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like.It should be understood, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the followingdiscussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specificationdiscussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,”“calculating,” “determining,” or the like, refer to the action and/orprocesses of a computer or computing system, or similar electroniccomputing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented asphysical, such as electronic, quantities within the computing system'sregisters and/or memories into other data similarly represented asphysical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers orother such information storage, transmission or display devices.

In a similar manner, the term “processor” may refer to any device orportion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and/ormemory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data thatmay be stored in registers and/or memory. A “computing platform” maycomprise one or more processors.

Embodiments of the present invention may include apparatuses forperforming the operations herein. An apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise a generalpurpose device selectively activated or reconfigured by a program storedin the device.

Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in one or a combinationof hardware, firmware, and software. Embodiments of the invention mayalso be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium,which may be read and executed by a computing platform to perform theoperations described herein. A machine-readable medium may include anymechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable bya machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable medium mayinclude read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magneticdisk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices;electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signals(e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), andothers.

Computer programs (also called computer control logic), may includeobject oriented computer programs, and may be stored in main memory 508and/or the secondary memory 510 and/or removable storage units 514, alsocalled computer program products. Such computer programs, when executed,may enable the computer system 500 to perform the features of thepresent invention as discussed herein. In particular, the computerprograms, when executed, may enable the processor 504 to provide amethod to resolve conflicts during data synchronization according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, suchcomputer programs may represent controllers of the computer system 500.

In another exemplary embodiment, the invention may be directed to acomputer program product comprising a computer readable medium havingcontrol logic (computer software) stored therein. The control logic,when executed by the processor 504, may cause the processor 504 toperform the functions of the invention as described herein. In anotherexemplary embodiment where the invention may be implemented usingsoftware, the software may be stored in a computer program product andloaded into computer system 500 using, e.g., but not limited to,removable storage drive 514, hard drive 512 or communications interface524, etc. The control logic (software), when executed by the processor504, may cause the processor 504 to perform the functions of theinvention as described herein. The computer software may run as astandalone software application program running atop an operatingsystem, or may be integrated into the operating system.

In yet another embodiment, the invention may be implemented primarily inhardware using, for example, but not limited to, hardware componentssuch as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or morestate machines, etc. Implementation of the hardware state machine so asto perform the functions described herein will be apparent to personsskilled in the relevant art(s).

In another exemplary embodiment, the invention may be implementedprimarily in firmware.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the invention may be implementedusing a combination of any of, e.g., but not limited to, hardware,firmware, and software, etc.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention may also be implemented asinstructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which may be read andexecuted by a computing platform to perform the operations describedherein. A machine-readable medium may include any mechanism for storingor transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., acomputer). For example, a machine readable medium may include read onlymemory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media;optical storage media; flash memory devices; electrical, optical,acoustical or other form of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves,infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), and others.

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention makes reference towired, or wireless networks. Wired networks include any of a widevariety of well known means for coupling voice and data communicationsdevices together. A brief discussion of various exemplary wirelessnetwork technologies that may be used to implement the embodiments ofthe present invention now are discussed. The examples are non-limited.Exemplary wireless network types may include, e.g., but not limited to,code division multiple access (CDMA), spread spectrum wireless,orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), 1G, 2G, 3G wireless,Bluetooth, Infrared Data Association (IrDA), shared wireless accessprotocol (SWAP), “wireless fidelity” (Wi-Fi), WIMAX, and other IEEEstandard 802.11 compliant wireless local area network (LAN),802.16-compliant wide area network (WAN), and ultrawideband (UWB), etc.

Bluetooth is an emerging wireless technology promising to unify severalwireless technologies for use in low power radio frequency (RF)networks.

IrDA is a standard method for devices to communicate using infraredlight pulses, as promulgated by the Infrared Data Association from whichthe standard gets its name. Since IrDA devices use infrared light, theymay depend on being in line of sight with each other.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention may make reference toWLANs. Examples of a WLAN may include a shared wireless access protocol(SWAP) developed by Home radio frequency (HomeRF), and wireless fidelity(Wi-Fi), a derivative of IEEE 802.11, advocated by the wireless ethernetcompatibility alliance (WECA). The IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standardrefers to various technologies that adhere to one or more of variouswireless LAN standards. An IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless LAN may complywith any of one or more of the various IEEE 802.11 wireless LANstandards including, e.g., but not limited to, wireless LANs compliantwith IEEE std. 802.11a, b, d or g, such as, e.g., but not limited to,IEEE std. 802.11a, b, d and g, (including, e.g., but not limited to IEEE802.11g-2003, etc.), etc.

FIG. 6A depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 600illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary interface for creating a fixed offer, variable price dynamicvalue coupon thread generator according to an exemplary embodiment. Thereader is directed to the detailed discussion above with reference toFIGS. 1E, and 3A for further information regarding alternative exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6B depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 620illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary interface for creating a fixed price, variable dynamic valuecoupon thread generator, according to an exemplary embodiment. Thereader is directed to the detailed discussion above with reference toFIGS. 3B, and 1E for further information regarding an alternativeexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6C depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 630illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary interface for creating an exemplary interface for creating ano commitment, just pass the deal and make it bigger exemplary promotiondynamic value coupon thread generator, according to an exemplaryembodiment. The reader is directed to the detailed discussion above withreference to FIGS. 3C, and 1E for further information regarding anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A depicts a diagram 700 of another exemplary embodiment of anexemplary environment illustrating an exemplary user interface mockup ofan exemplary dynamic value coupon/promotion thread portal applicationexecuting on a user client device, depicting an exemplary fixed offer,variable price offering, according to an exemplary embodiment. Thereader is directed to the detailed discussion of exemplary user portalsfor users considering joining a thread, above with reference to FIG. 2A,and FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C above for further exemplary detailedinformation regarding processes of creating a thread generator, andgenerating a thread using an exemplary thread generator, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram 720illustrating an exemplary user interface screenshot depicting anexemplary user interface mockup of an exemplary dynamic valuecoupon/promotion thread portal fixed price, variable offering threadportal, according to an exemplary embodiment. The reader is directed tothe detailed discussion of exemplary user portals for users consideringjoining a thread, above with reference to FIG. 2A, and FIGS. 4A, 4B and4C for further information regarding an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8A1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 800 illustratingan exemplary interface definition for an exemplary shutdown sequence aswill be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the relevant art,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8A2 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram, similar toFIG. 8A1, illustrating an exemplary interface definition for anexemplary thread generator as will be apparent to those having ordinaryskill in the relevant art, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Cr [Creation] of a Sequence Cl: SO [Class: Variable Offer] Cl: SR[Class: Variable Remuneration] VR [Fixed Remuneration]:     VO [FixedOffer]:    (ON [Name]/OTr [Terms]/OA [Art]) BO [Base Offer]:     (ON[Name]/OTr BR [Base Remuneration]:     [Terms]/OA [Art]) Seq. [Sequence]Seq. [Sequence] Br [Break] 1:    XN [Example Buyers Br [Break] 1:    XN[Example Buyers needed] needed] SO [Variable Remuneration]:    (N[Name], SR [Variable Remuneration]:    Tr [Terms], A [Art]) Br [Break]n:    XN [Example Buyers Br [Break] n:    XN [Example Buyers needed]needed] SO [Variable Remuneration]:    (N [Name], SR [VariableRemuneration]:    Tr [Terms], A [Art]) +Br [Add Break] +Br [Add Break] C[Sequence Shutdown]: Upon X [Buyer] 1, C [Sequence Shutdown]: Upon X[Buyer] 1, settings settings for Seq. shutdown for Seq. shutdown

FIG. 8B1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 820 illustratingan exemplary interface definition for an exemplary multi-tier offeringthread of exemplary n-tiers, as will be apparent to those skilled in therelevant art, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8B2 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a diagram, similar toFIG. 8B1, illustrating an exemplary interface definition for anexemplary multi-tier offering thread of n-tiers, as will be apparent tothose skilled in the relevant art, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Cr [Creation] #:     Instance#:     Pioneer: Br. XN [Example (Buyer) VR[Fixed Remuneration Required]: Ind. Quantity]:    Br Tr [Break Tracker]Cr[Creation]# Updates Br XN [Example ON [Offer for this sequence[Break]: (Buyer) Name]/ (thread) instance - Quantity]: OTr [OfferGr[Group] Pass and (associated Terms]/OA Rs[Remuneration with adjacent[Offer Art] Submitted] Data Br) Patients/Time/Info 1 from SQL n

O #:      Instance#:     Pioneer: Br. XN [Example (Buyer) VO [FixedOffer]: ON [Offer Name, Ind. Quantity]:    Offer Terms, Offer Art] Br Tr[Break Tracker] Cr[Creation]# Updates Br X [Example R [Remuneration forthis sequence [Break]: Buyer] N Required] (thread) instance -[Quantity]: Gr[Group] Pass and (associated Rs[Remuneration with adjacentSubmitted] Data Br) Patients/Time/Info 1 from SQL n

In one exemplary embodiment, customers may use a hyperlink with embeddedidentifiers to raise XN [Buyer Quantity] to achieve a Br [Break].

In one exemplary embodiment, any Cr# (Creation) generated by pioneersare presented via a dashboard display the pioneer uses to manage theirone or more Cr#.

In one exemplary embodiment, a Cr# can never be edited, only cancelledand may be used as a template to generate a new Cr.

In one exemplary embodiment, a Cr# (Creation, deal) can be made suchthat the pioneer can cancel more instances of the Cr# from beingcreated, but once an instance is created the instance (thread) remainsindependent of the Cr# source (thread generator) of the instance(thread). This can enable, for example, a pioneer to cancel a promotionbut not violate contractual terms as set forth by the Tr [Terms] ofactive C [Shutdown sequences] wherein one or more X [example buyers]have already joined the promotion. This could be important becauseexamples (buyers) may be serving as examples of committed customers toencourage other potential customers to join the C [shutdown sequence]instance.

In one exemplary embodiment, through various modalities X's[ExampleBuyers] may come to learn of a Cr, provide R [Remuneration Needed] whichcan be in form of held funds on creditcard, and then are incentived(given an incentive) to encourage the joining of more X [Example Buyers]to the shutdown sequence before it shuts down to attain Br [Breaks],central to the theme of the invention.

In one exemplary embodiment, of central importance is utilization of EN[entity networks] to have X [Example Buyers] pass instances of shutdownsequences to entities within that example buyer's EN [entity network].In one exemplary embodiment, incentive structures may be used based onconversion, such as credits [in the form of monetary compensation,redeemable vouchers for products/services, etc.] to one, many, orperhaps all below on a referral hierarchy. This can be variably set bythe pioneer during Cr specification.

FIG. 8C depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 830 illustrating amore detailed definition for acronyms used in FIGS. 8A and 8B, as wellas a simple flow diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of aperson with health issues, or habits, where the patient joins a socialnetwork group, completes a user profile, and may link with others in asimilar position of health (smoker, cancer sufferer, etc.), according toan exemplary embodiment.

Exemplary and Nonlimiting Term Glossary

-   Pioneer Generates Cr (creations, thread generators) that can produce    instances of shutdown sequences (threads) as specified by Cl    (classes) of promotion types    -   Cl Class (Promotion type (Fixed Price, Variable Offer; Fixed        Offer, Variable Price; etc.))    -   X Example Buyer (Buyer who has joined an instance of a Cr and        now serves as an exemplary buyer on the thread)    -   O Offer    -   R Remuneration Needed (Price, Requirements)    -   S Variable-   V Fixed-   N Name    -   Tr Terms-   A Art-   C Sequence shutdown specification (Thread expiry specifications (ex.    Countdown timer, etc.)-   B Base (as in BO [Base Offer], BR [Base Remuneration Required])-   Br Break (Tier, Milestone)

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 900 illustrating anexemplary process of creating a promotion as illustrated in anotherexemplary embodiment of a prompting list of user instructions to bedisplayed by the computing device, according to an exemplary embodiment.The reader is directed to the detailed discussion above with referenceto FIGS. 3A-3C, and FIGS. 4A and 4B above for further exemplary detailedinformation regarding an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a diagram 1000 illustratingan exemplary interface definition for an exemplary multi-tier offeringthread of n-tiers, as will be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Connectivity to Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

The public switched telephone network (PSTN) (not shown other thanclouds in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 13), can provide calling party 1102 a adata connection to an ISP (i.e. similar to client 1118 b).

Network 1200 can also include an Internet service provider (ISP) (notshown) which could include a server computer 1122 coupled to a datanetwork 1142 as will be discussed further below with reference to FIG.13. The Internet is a well-known, worldwide network comprising severallarge networks connected together by data links. These links caninclude, for example, Integrated Digital Services Network (ISDN), T1,T3, FDDI and SONET links. Alternatively, an internet can be a privatenetwork interconnecting a plurality of LANs and/or WANs, such as, forexample, an intranet. An ISP can provide Internet access services forsubscribers such as client 1118 b.

To establish a connection with an ISP, client 1118 b can use a hostcomputer connected to a modem (modulator/demodulator) 1130 b. The modemcan modulate data from the host computer into a form (traditionally ananalog form) for transmission to the LEC facilities. Typically, the LECfacilities convert the incoming analog signal into a digital form. Inone embodiment, the data is converted into the point-to-point protocol(PPP) format. (PPP is a well-known protocol that permits a computer toestablish a connection with the Internet using a standard modem. Itsupports high-quality, graphical user-interfaces.) As those skilled inthe art will recognize, other formats are available, including, e.g., atransmission control program, internet protocol (TCP/IP) packet format,a user datagram protocol, internet protocol (UDP/IP) packet format, anasynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cell packet format, a serial lineinterface protocol (SLIP) protocol format, a point-to-point (PPP)protocol format, a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) format, aNETBIOS extended user interface (NETBEUI) protocol format, an Appletalkprotocol format, a DECnet, BANYAN/VINES, an internet packet exchange(IPX) protocol format, and an internet control message protocol (ICMP)protocol format.

Although perhaps not shown, the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention are equally applicable to any of, e.g., but not limited to,circuit switched, packet switched, wired line, wireless, cable TV(CATV), voice over power line, etc. networks, whether voice based, cellbased, analog, digital, personal area, local area, and/or wide areanetworks, music, video, audio, movie, broadcast, digital and analogcontents.

Exemplary Communications Links

Note that FIG. 11 and other figures described herein include lines whichmay refer to communications lines or which may refer to logicalconnections between network nodes, or systems, which are physicallyimplemented by telecommunications carrier devices. These carrier devicesinclude circuits and network nodes between the circuits including, forexample, digital access and cross-connect system (DACS), regenerators,tandems, copper wires, and fiber optic cable. It may be apparent topersons having ordinary skill in the art that alternative communicationslines can be used to connect one or more telecommunications systemsdevices. Also, a telecommunications carrier as defined here, caninclude, for example, a LEC, a CLEC, an IXC, an Enhanced ServiceProvider (ESP), a global or international services provider such as aglobal point-of-presence (GPOP), and an intelligent peripheral.

EO 1104 a and AT 1206 are connected by a trunk. A trunk connects an ATto an EO. A trunk can be called an inter machine trunk (IMT). AT 1208and EO 1108 a are connected by a trunk which can be an IMT.

Referring to FIG. 11, EO 1104 and PBX 1112 can be connected by a privateline with a dial tone. A private line can also connect an ISP (notshown) to EO 104, for example. A private line with a dial tone can beconnected to a modem bay or access converter equipment at the ISP.Examples of a private line are a channelized T1 or integrated servicesdigital network (ISDN) primary rate interface (PRI). An ISP can alsoattach to the Internet by means of a pipe or dedicated communicationsfacility. A pipe can be a dedicated communications facility. A privateline can handle data modem traffic to and from an ISP.

Trunks can handle switched voice traffic and data traffic. For example,trunks can include digital signals DS1-DS4 transmitted over T1-T4carriers. Table 1 provides typical carriers, along with their respectivedigital signals, number of channels, and bandwidth capacities.

TABLE 1 Digital Number Designation Bandwidth in Megabits signal ofchannels of carrier per second (Mbps) DS0 1 None 0.064 DS1 24 T1 1.544DS2 96 T2 6.312 DS3 672 T3 44.736 DS4 4032 T4 274.176

Alternatively, trunks can include optical carriers (OCs), such as OC-1,OC-3, etc. Table 2 provides typical optical carriers, along with theirrespective synchronous transport signals (STSs), ITU designations, andbandwidth capacities.

TABLE 2 Optical International carrier Electrical signal, orTelecommunications Bandwidth in (OC) synchronous transport Union (ITU)Megabits per signal signal (STS) terminology second (Mbps) OC-1 STS-151.84 OC-3 STS-3 STM-1 155.52 OC-9 STS-9 STM-3 466.56 OC-12 STS-12 STM-4622.08 OC-18 STS-18 STM-6 933.12 OC-24 STS-24 STM-8 1244.16 OC-36 STS-36STM-12 1866.24 OC-48 STS-48 STM-16 2488.32

As noted, a private line is a connection that can carry data modemtraffic. A private line can be a direct channel specifically dedicatedto a customer's use between two specified points. A private line canalso be known as a leased line. In one embodiment, a private line is anISDN/primary rate interface (ISDN PRI) connection. An ISDN PRIconnection can include a single signal channel (called a data or Dchannel) on a T1, with the remaining 23 channels being used as bearer orB channels. (Bearer channels are digital channels that bear voice anddata information.) If multiple ISDN PRI lines are used, the signalingfor all of the lines can be carried over a single D channel, freeing upthe remaining lines to carry only bearer channels.

Exemplary Converged Telecommunications Traffic

Telecommunications traffic can be sent and received from any networknode of a telecommunications carrier. A telecommunications carrier caninclude, for example, a LEC, a CLEC, an IXC, and an Enhanced ServiceProvider (ESP). In an embodiment, this traffic can be received from anetwork node which is, for example, a class 5 switch, such as EO 1104 a,or from a class 3/4 switch, such as AT 1206. Alternatively, the networksystem can also be, for example, a CLEC, or other enhanced serviceprovider (ESP), an international gateway or global point-of-presence(GPOP), or an intelligent peripheral.

Voice traffic refers, for example, to a switched voice connectionbetween calling party 1102 a and called party 1110 a. It is important tonote that this is on a point-to-point dedicated path, i.e., thatbandwidth is allocated whether it is being used or not. A switched voiceconnection is established between calling party 1102 a and EO 1104 a,then to AT 1206 then over an IXC's network such as that of IXC 1106 a toAT 1208 and then to EO 1108 a and over a trunk to called party 1110 a.In another embodiment, AT 1206 or IXC 1106 a can also be, for example, aCLEC, or other enhanced service provider (ESP), an international gatewayor global point-of-presence (GPOP), or an intelligent peripheral.

It is possible that calling party 1102 a is a computer with a dataconnection to a server over the voice network. Data traffic refers, forexample, to a data connection between a calling party 1102 a (using amodem) and a server 1122 b that could be part of an ISP. A dataconnection can be established, e.g., between calling party 1102 a and EO1104 a, then to AT 1206, then to CLEC 1214, then over a fixed wirelessCLEC 1209 link to PBX 1112 b to a modem 1130 b associated with server1122 b.

FIG. 11 depicts a diagram 1300 illustrating an exemplary voice over adata network hardware converged in an exemplary voice over dataheterogeneous network architecture which may be coupled to theconventional voice based local exchange carrier (LEC) and inter exchangecarrier (IXC) based public switched telephone network, as may illustratean exemplary networking environment over which various exemplarytransmissions, sending, and receiving may be enabled over an exemplaryembodiment of a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hybridcommunications network including both VoIP devices, as well as PSTNdevices, coupled together via an exemplary voice over IP network as mayinclude, e.g., but not limited to, gateways, routers, signaling devices,SIP and/or MGCP protocol devices, soft switches, etc., as will beapparent to those skilled in the relevant art, as may be used as anexemplary embodiment of a network architecture platform over which aservice provider according to an exemplary embodiment may distribute itsservices offerings.

A voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) call may also be made andtelephony and other data may be delivered over a data network as shownin FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 depicts a diagram 1300 illustrating an exemplary voice over adata network hardware architecture as may illustrate an exemplary voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP) hybrid communications network includingboth VoIP devices, as well as PSTN devices, coupled together via anexemplary voice over IP network as may include, e.g., but not limitedto, gateways, routers, signaling devices, SIP and/or MGCP protocoldevices, softswitches, etc., as will be apparent to those skilled in therelevant art.

In one exemplary embodiment, a particular class of thread generator(shutdown sequence) may be set by a promoter to enable a variation of a“fixed price, variable offer” and/or “fixed offer, variable price”thread class wherein the offer (or offers if there are multiple offertiers) are a percentage off discount with other possible termsassociated such as, e.g., but not limited to, a maximum dollars (i.e.,value) the coupon voucher may used for, expiration date, etc. Accordingto an exemplary embodiment, the exemplary thread generator can enable,for example, but not limited to, “pre-selling of coupons” to users.

Exemplary embodiments may include the following embodiments:

-   -   1. A computer implemented method of generating a multi-tier        dynamic value promotion thread generator comprising:        -   creating, by at least one computer processor, the thread            generator comprising:            -   receiving, by the at least one computer processor, terms                of the at least one multi-tier dynamic value promotion                thread generator adapted to generate at least one                thread,                -   wherein said terms comprise:                -    at least one tier-specific benefit term, and at                    least one tier-specific requirement term for each of                    at least two tier levels of the thread generator;                    and                -    at least one thread-specific countdown timer,                    wherein upon generation of a generated thread by a                    first customer user, a value of said tier-specific                    benefit term of said generated thread may be                    determined by comparing: a number of joined customer                    users upon expiration of said countdown timer, to                    said tier-specific requirement terms, to identify                    the tier of said at least two tier levels                    corresponding to said number of joined customer                    users.    -   2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:        -   transmitting, by the at least one computer processor, a link            to the dynamic value multi-tier promotion thread to the            first user upon creating the generated thread by the thread            generator, for sharing by the first user to at least one            other customer user.    -   3. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving        notification of the first customer joining the promotion        offering thread,        -   initiating, by the at least one computer processor, the            limited time countdown timer until expiration; and        -   counting, by the at least one computer processor, a number            of joined customer users joining the generated multi-tier            dynamic value promotion thread.    -   4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of        said tiers comprise mutually exclusive requirement terms.    -   5. The method according to claim 1, wherein any customer users        joining the thread comprises:        -   receiving, by the at least one computer processor, an            identifier for the any customer users; and        -   associating, by the at least one computer processor, the            identifier for the any customer users with the generated            thread.    -   6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said identifier for        the any customer users comprises at least one of:        -   a financial agreement to purchase the multi-tier dynamic            value promotion multi-tier thread;        -   a customer number of the any customer user;        -   a credit card number of the any customer user;        -   a debit card number of the any customer user;        -   a social security number of the any customer user;        -   an email address of the any customer user; or        -   a user name of the any customer user.    -   7. The method according to claim 1, wherein upon said expiration        of said countdown timer, the thread benefit is set based on the        tier of the at least two tiers corresponding to the amount of        joined customer users.    -   8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two        tiers comprises at least three tiers.    -   9. A system of providing a dynamic value promotion thread        generator comprising:        -   a computer memory;        -   at least one computer processor coupled to said memory,            wherein said at least one computer processor is adapted:    -   to create the thread generator comprising wherein said at least        one computer processor is adapted to:        -   receive terms of the at least one multi-tier dynamic value            promotion thread generator adapted to generate at least one            thread,            -   wherein said terms comprise:                -   at least one tier-specific benefit term, and at                    least one tier-specific requirement term for each of                    at least two tier levels of the thread generator;                    and                -   at least one thread-specific countdown timer,                    wherein upon generation of a generated thread by a                    first customer user, a value of said tier-specific                    benefit term of said generated thread may be                    determined by comparing: a number of joined customer                    users upon expiration of said countdown timer, to                    said tier-specific requirement terms, to identify                    the tier of said at least two tier levels                    corresponding to said number of joined customer                    users.    -   10. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable        medium, said computer program product comprising program logic        adapted to be executed on a computer processor to implement a        method of providing a multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread        generator comprising:    -   creating, by at least one computer processor, the thread        generator comprising:        -   receiving, by the at least one computer processor, terms of            the at least one multi-tier dynamic value promotion thread            generator adapted to generate at least one thread,            -   wherein said terms comprise:                -   at least one tier-specific benefit term, and at                    least one tier-specific requirement term for each of                    at least two tier levels of the thread generator;                    and                -   at least one thread-specific countdown timer,                    wherein upon generation of a generated thread by a                    first customer user, a value of said tier-specific                    benefit term of said generated thread may be                    determined by comparing: a number of joined customer                    users upon expiration of said countdown timer, to                    said tier-specific requirement terms, to identify                    the tier of said at least two tier levels                    corresponding to said number of joined customer                    users.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove, it should be understood that they have been presented by way ofexample only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of thepresent invention should not be limited by any of the above describedexemplary embodiments, but should instead be defined only in accordancewith the following claims and their equivalents.

1. A method of creating a multi-tier fixed price variable-offeringthread generator, the method comprising: receiving, using a computerprocessor, a fixed price for a first user to start a multi-tiered threadand for subsequent users to join the multi-tiered thread; and receiving,using the computer processor, specification for at least twopredetermined tiers of offerings for the fixed price, the specificationfor each of the at least two predetermined tiers of offerings comprisingan offering and information on a minimum number of users required tojoin the multi-tiered thread to redeem the offering for said fixedprice.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:receiving, using the computer processor, a thread expiration criteriafor the multi-tiered thread.
 3. The method according to claim 2, whereinone of the least two predetermined tiers of offerings is redeemable bythe first user and the subsequent users of the multi-tiered thread forthe fixed price based on an occurrence of the thread expirationcriteria.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the threadexpiration criteria is one of a total number of users that join themulti-tiered thread and a predetermined expiration time of themulti-tiered thread.
 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein onlyone offering from the at least two predetermined tiers of offerings isredeemable by the first user and the subsequent users when the threadexpiration criteria is satisfied.
 6. The method according to claim 1,wherein the information on the minimum number of users required to jointhe multi-tiered thread to redeem the offering for said fixed price foreach of the at least two predetermined tiers of offerings is different.7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received fixed price iszero.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the offering for eachof the at least two predetermined tiers of offerings is different. 9.The method according to claim 1, further comprising, receiving, usingthe computer processor, a picture depicting the at least twopredetermined tiers of offerings.